[Greens-Media] Green-Liberal amendments for transparency in infrastructure funds

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Green-Liberal amendments for transparency in infrastructure funds

Canberra, Thursday 4 December 2008

The Australian Greens, with the support of the Liberals, have today
amended Labor's Nation Building Bills to ensure that the multi-billion
dollar funds are properly scrutinised.

The amendments, moved by Senator Milne:
*	establish a new Parliamentary Joint Committee on Nation Building
to oversee the Minister's allocations from the funds; and
*	require all advice from the advisory boards to be made public
immediately.

"Forward-thinking, transparent infrastructure planning can replace
Australia's history of pork-barrelling and white elephants with a Green
New Deal to build a zero emissions economy," Senator Milne said.

"With such tremendous sums of money being spent through these funds, it
is vital that there be appropriate scrutiny of how it is allocated, and
I am particularly pleased that we have been able to work so positively
with the Opposition to amend the legislation to increase transparency.

"A Joint Parliamentary Committee would play a vital role in overseeing
expenditure. Where more than $50 million will be spent, the Parliament
will have the opportunity to scrutinise it.

"It is extremely important that all the advice to the Minister from the
advisory boards be tabled and made public immediately. We cannot allow a
situation where Ministers may make multi-billion dollar decisions
without the public being able to test them against the evidence."

 Senator Milne will also move separate amendments to:
*	insert principles into the Bills that would require projects
financed by the funds to address climate change and peak oil, amongst
other objectives; and
*	require the Board of Infrastructure Australia to include at
least two people with expertise in climate change or peak oil.

"Bad infrastructure planning will lock us into our high-polluting, oil-
and coal-dependent economy for decades longer. If the Government
continues to focus infrastructure spending on roads and coal ports, it
will become far more difficult and expensive, if not impossible, for
Australia to reduce our emissions and prepare for peak oil.

"It would be a terrible irony if we raid the future fund to pay for
investments which don't future-proof Australia.

"If the Government is serious about climate change, reducing emissions
must be front and centre in its infrastructure and nation-building
plans. These amendments will go a long way to putting it there."

Tim Hollo 
Media and Communications Adviser 
Senator Christine Milne 
Australian Greens Deputy Leader
ph: (02) 6277 3588 
mob: 0437 587 562
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