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The NSW bushfire areas that took more than a $300 million hit from the fires but did not get a cent in bushfire relief funding. Today we want some answers and accountability from this government. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/the-bushfire-areas-that-took-a-300-million-hit-but-did-not-qualify-for-funding-20210207-p570b3.html
On the government’s own analysis, the Greens’ seat of Ballina and the ALP seats of Blue Mountains and Central Coast between them took a collective $317.5 million hit from the fires and they didn’t receive one cent of bushfire relief funding
The Grants Inquiry starts again today at 10am with the Deputy Premier John Barilaro coming to answer, one or two, questions
Live now with a statement from the Deputy Premier who is referring to his nickname of "Pork Barilaro" as something he is proud of... watch here: http://bit.ly/jubileeroom
He is saying he hates when "regional NSW is used as a political football" - this is something we can agree on!!
He has said that the Office of Local Government was responsible for the $252 million council grant rorts - but the evidence we've heard from the OLG is that the Premier and Deputy Premier were involved in approving those grants...
He's saying the Blue Mountains as an area of medium to high impact from bushfires can get funding in the second round - they're going to get fast tracked funding apparently.
It's not clear why the second round is targeting communities that were highly impacted but the first round wasn't??
The criteria for the initial round were moderate/highly impacted local govt areas (this is defined by buildings destroyed) - Central Coast who lost 6.5% of their economy did not meet this arbitrary criteria
Blue Mountains lost 114 buildings, $65.4 million economic impact and didn't get a cent. It was all based on who had "projects ready to go" and not based on what the actual need was.
The Deputy Premier says the only people who are still living in tents or caravans have chosen to do so
They gave VISY $10 million even though that company had made record profits in 2020 (and even though that company has a record of donating to the National Party AND the parent company has form in not paying tax)
"As Deputy Premier I was nobody in this process" he says of the emails showing his office saying he had "approved" proposals - he says this is just "giving feedback"
Asking now about the email which days "DP (Deputy Premier) has approved the following projects for the Central Coast" - he says this was just "feedback". Apparently it's only a signature on a piece of paper that counts as approval.
One of the bushfire local economy funding projects is an $11 million skydiving facility which is creating a pond for people to land in. It's hard to see how this is a key priority?
Barilaro claims citizens from regional Australia support what he has done here - we've had emails and comments from hundreds of people who do not feel this way.
That's all for the morning - we'll be back at 1.30 with Tim Hurst from the Office of Local Government.
