Regional generosity needs explaining

That the department failed to monitor many projects adequately, allowing cost over-runs to occur, also highlights that there were administrative, as well as political, problems with the program. However, these problems and the sub-optimal pork-barrelling expenditure involved in some of the program grants are not corrupt in themselves.

On a small scale, some grants probably provided some helpful assistance to local regions. Nor is it wrong for elected officials to seek political kudos from handing out funds, as long as they are not the direct beneficiaries of the grants. What is questionable is whether incumbent governments gain political advantage by the allocations from taxpayer-funded schemes. Labor, although critical during the election, has been reluctant to condemn the program outright.

The new Rudd Government will need such programs to fund local projects, keep regions and interest groups satisfied, and to assist local federal members.

Simon Crean knows this. He talked about many regional projects before the election. So, we will soon have Regional Partnerships Program Mark 2.

The real issue with Regional Partnership grants, as highlighted by the Auditor-General, was their lack of transparency in how governments decided their allocations.

Too easily the program was seen by those in office as “theirs” to decide how to allocate, rather than ours, the taxpayers, to assess whether they are worthwhile.

The Rudd Government faces a challenge in injecting better accountability into such schemes.