Page 4630 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 27 November 1990
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The Committee is concerned that the interest that had previously accumulated on CDF funds and was available for further grants will now not be available following the abolition of the Fund.
Whilst examining sub-program 15.5, Sport and Recreation, the Committee was advised by the Minister for Housing and Community Services -
who has turned tail and run -
that specific one-off grants, such as to the ACT Netball Association for $1.2m, will no longer continue. He also advised that no guarantee has been given in relation to "ad hoc one-off grants that have occurred over the years".
The Committee continued:
The Committee believes that there is an expectation in the community of a guarantee that the total amount of funding, including interest, previously available from the Community Development Fund, will continue to be available for grants for capital projects for sporting and other community facilities.
So, there we have it - the unanimous report of the Estimates Committee on which Government members opposite had the numbers. The Committee went on to recommend that the Government increase its new grants programs "by an amount equivalent to the interest that would have been paid if the Community Development Fund had continued".
Of course, what we saw last week in the debate on the Estimates Committee's report was an absolutely disgraceful contempt on the part of members of the Government for that committee's report and its very hard work. The debate on the Estimates Committee report was, in fact, a scandal.
I put it to the Assembly that, if you count the four Labor members who were not on the Estimates Committee with the five members who unanimously supported that recommendation, it is clear that the majority of members in this Assembly believe that the Government's future funding of community grants is inadequate. Yet we find this Bill being guillotined through. This is one of the reasons why the details of the Government's decision have not been the subject of any consultation and why this Bill is being pushed through the Assembly with indecent haste. They are hoping that they will sneak it in just before Christmas while the community groups are preparing for their Christmas break - and nobody will notice. It is a bit of a sleeper, but it will come back to haunt you.
Labor also opposes these Bills because they provide for the transfer of outstanding CDF balances to the consolidated fund - and this is where the real double shuffle has
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