{"id":247659,"date":"2021-07-22T01:15:16","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T01:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationaus.com\/?p=20382"},"modified":"2021-07-22T01:15:16","modified_gmt":"2021-07-22T01:15:16","slug":"govt-baking-in-rorts-to-800m-manufacturing-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/07\/22\/govt-baking-in-rorts-to-800m-manufacturing-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Govt \u2018baking-in\u2019 rorts to $800m manufacturing grants"},"content":{"rendered":"
The coalition government\u2019s<\/strong> $800 million manufacturing grants program will be used as a slush fund in the run up to the next election, Labor has warned, after it was revealed the Prime Minister will have final say on where the money goes.<\/p>\n The Opposition is raising the alarm about the grants program \u2013 the collaboration stream of the government\u2019s flagship $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative \u2013 because the guidelines published last month show<\/a> Scott Morrison will have final approval on which manufacturers receive individual grants up to $200 million for large scale projects.<\/p>\n Under the guidelines, Industry Innovation and Science Australia will review applications and advise the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, currently Christian Porter, who will recommend projects to the Prime Minister for a final decision.<\/p>\n Applications open next month and close in September, with assessments expected to take up to 19 weeks, which would see announcements made in the lead up to the next federal election, widely expected to be held early next year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis grant is clearly being structured in such a way as to streamline pork-barrelling and proactively stymie scrutiny by attempting to normalise the same process that was so heavily criticised during sports rorts,\u201d Shadow Minister for government accountability Kristina Keneally said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat this grant represents is the formal baking-in of the infamous colour-coded spreadsheets \u2013 a complete subversion of the Westminster system of \u2018ministerial accountability\u2019 and the creation of a new normal where Mr Morrison decides who gets what based solely on his political ambitions.\u201d<\/p>\n