New South Wales unions vow to pass law banning pig barrels in subsidy allocations

New South Wales Labor Party leader Chris Minnes has pledged to “restore the integrity” of the subsidy system by enacting legislation banning pork barrels if he wins next month’s election. bottom.

The plans were unveiled at an ALP rally in Western Sydney, days after the state’s Comptroller General announced a scathing inquiry into how wildfire restoration grants were distributed. is.

It has been revealed that the office of former Deputy Prime Minister John Barillaro has intervened in a $100 million wildfire restoration program and changed its guidelines.

After Mings threatened to do so himself, the Perotet government referred the Audit Office’s report to the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ICAC).

If elected, Labor promised that disaster relief would be independently audited and grant guidelines enacted.

Minns said at the Penrith rally that the latest grant story was another sign that the government had been in power for too long.

“This action shows that the government believes it can do literally anything after 12 years in office.

“Australians do not respond well to bribes. No reasonable Australian would believe that skydiving parks should receive funding before fire departments during a wildfire disaster.”

He said Labor will ensure that all major natural disaster relief packages are automatically referred to the auditor.

Also, in accordance with previous ICAC recommendations, all grants are sent for review within three months, and priority review grants are also subject to performance review.

“We’re also adding major hog barrel protection to government regulations. We’re there for you no matter where you live,” he said.

“We can never accept the premise that natural disasters will be politically manipulated and funded solely by political parties in government.

“I will make sure the rules are in place to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

Prime Minister Dominic Perrotet has defended his efforts to strengthen subsidy guidelines since taking over the top job.

He announced a review of grants management and changed the code of conduct for ministers.

“My job as Prime Minister is to ensure that there is no political influence on the administration of the subsidies, and that is why we have made the changes,” he said.

“That’s why one of the first things I did when I became prime minister was to review that public service and ministerial discretion to ensure that those guidelines were followed and the funds went where they were intended. and change the Minister’s code of conduct.

“You should always be free from politics and interference.”

The difference to the Labor Party approach is that the changes will become law.