Mr McCARTHY - 2015-09-17
When diminishing, devaluing and essentially bullying this week, the Treasurer said the Environment Centre NT is a nonsense organisation and a tainted political organisation. He said it was not about protecting the environment or environmental outcomes.
Ms Anna Boustead of the Environment Centre NT has responded by saying:
Leave granted.
Mr McCARTHY: The Treasurer defines the Environment Centre as a nonsense and tainted political organisation. Minister, will you stick up for this vital community group providing critical advice for good decision-making and policy?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I have been on the record as supporting the Environment Centre over many years and I do not back away from that. However, I made it clear the Environment Centre had some concerns when the budget allocation was cut and it had to apply for this through grants. The logic used in making this decision was that prior to the establishment of the independent EPA, the government would use the Environment Centre as a source for getting its independent advice separate from government agencies.
With the establishment of the independent EPA I made it clear to the Environment Centre, when I was asked these questions, that I already had a source of independent advice. While I do not question the skills and capability of those at the Environment Centre, I told them they are entitled to apply for grant funding through the EPA. The grant funding has been redirected to specific areas.
I can give you some points about that grant funding. The funding for 2015-16 opened for application in March 2015. General grants are limited to $10 000 with a provision that larger deserving projects can be funded. Grants were made for projects delivering clear environmental benefits in the area of waste and pollution. I am happy for the Environment Centre to apply for these, even though I do not get a say in it. The independent EPA makes these allocations.
These grants closed on 22 May and 34 applications were received. Approvals for the 2015-16 successful grant recipients were finalised in August 2015. There were 30 grants, in other words 30 projects, which were funded through the project grants program. Of these, eight were in Alice Springs, 15 focused on remote and rural areas and seven were based around the Darwin and Palmerston areas.
Applications for school grants also closed on 10 April and seven applications were received. Six of these applications were awarded funding. A second school grant opened in September this year to create more opportunities for schools to access funding.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you call on the Treasurer to apologise to this vital community group?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, sit down. You are on a warning. You know that is entirely inappropriate. It is not a point of order.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have 30 seconds, would you like to continue?
Mr HIGGINS: No, I have finished my answer, thank you.
Ms Anna Boustead of the Environment Centre NT has responded by saying:
- The Environment Centre NT is a non-partisan community group, made up of over 300 members and many thousands of supporters who wish to see the Territory’s outstanding natural and cultural assets protected and managed for future generations. We do not take any political sides, however we do unashamedly advocate for better environmental policies and practices.
Leave granted.
Mr McCARTHY: The Treasurer defines the Environment Centre as a nonsense and tainted political organisation. Minister, will you stick up for this vital community group providing critical advice for good decision-making and policy?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I have been on the record as supporting the Environment Centre over many years and I do not back away from that. However, I made it clear the Environment Centre had some concerns when the budget allocation was cut and it had to apply for this through grants. The logic used in making this decision was that prior to the establishment of the independent EPA, the government would use the Environment Centre as a source for getting its independent advice separate from government agencies.
With the establishment of the independent EPA I made it clear to the Environment Centre, when I was asked these questions, that I already had a source of independent advice. While I do not question the skills and capability of those at the Environment Centre, I told them they are entitled to apply for grant funding through the EPA. The grant funding has been redirected to specific areas.
I can give you some points about that grant funding. The funding for 2015-16 opened for application in March 2015. General grants are limited to $10 000 with a provision that larger deserving projects can be funded. Grants were made for projects delivering clear environmental benefits in the area of waste and pollution. I am happy for the Environment Centre to apply for these, even though I do not get a say in it. The independent EPA makes these allocations.
These grants closed on 22 May and 34 applications were received. Approvals for the 2015-16 successful grant recipients were finalised in August 2015. There were 30 grants, in other words 30 projects, which were funded through the project grants program. Of these, eight were in Alice Springs, 15 focused on remote and rural areas and seven were based around the Darwin and Palmerston areas.
Applications for school grants also closed on 10 April and seven applications were received. Six of these applications were awarded funding. A second school grant opened in September this year to create more opportunities for schools to access funding.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you call on the Treasurer to apologise to this vital community group?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, sit down. You are on a warning. You know that is entirely inappropriate. It is not a point of order.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, you have 30 seconds, would you like to continue?
Mr HIGGINS: No, I have finished my answer, thank you.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016