Tony Burke, what do you want?

  Water Minister Tony Burke has today disowned the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s latest draft Basin Plan but has failed to outline what changes he will demand, according to Coalition Basin spokesman Senator Simon Birmingham.   ?Today Minister Burke stated: ? ?“We are not yet at a point where I believe we’ve got documents in front…

Buck stops with Government on bungled tender

  Damning evidence today has sheeted home blame for the bungled $223 million Australia Network tender process to the Gillard Government, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today.   Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers today revealed in Senate Estimates, under questioning from Senator Birmingham, that confidential material was leaked to media sources from within the Government.…

No application, correspondence or briefings… but here’s $20 million for you!

  The Gillard Government approved a $20 million grant in this year’s budget without any application or analysis into its merits, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.   The absence of any rationale for the funding was revealed by departmental officials under questioning from Senator Birmingham in a Senate Estimates hearing…