Three grants to surf life saving clubs for rainwater tanks after more than 18 months represents a monumental failure by the Rudd Government to honour an election promise, Senator Simon Birmingham said today.
This program began as a very significant commitment during the campaign:
Anthony Albanese and Peter Garrett announced that a Rudd Labor Government will invest up to $3 million to assist every Surf Life Saving Club in Australia install a rainwater tank.
Albanese/Garrett media release, 19 October 2007
Mr Garrett went on to say:
“Assisting every Surf Life Saving Club to install a rainwater tank is a fitting way to commemorate 100 years of surf life saving and will benefit the entire community.
“Labor will invest up to $3 million to provide up to $10,000 to every club to install a rainwater tank, or contribute towards a larger water savings project.”
Albanese/Garrett media release, 19 October 2007
“Nearly two years after these lofty promises, the Rudd Government has embarrassingly pushed out newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary Mike Kelly to congratulate three, yes three surf life saving clubs as the first recipients of their $10,000,” Senator Birmingham said today.
“Instead of patting themselves on the back, the Rudd Government should be hanging its heads in shame at this abysmal failure. In the first half of their term in office they have delivered just one per cent of this program some $30,000 out of $3 million.
“Just as Rudd Labor extols the virtues of moving money through programs on time to help stimulate the economy, after 18 months in government it has delivered three grants to surf life saving clubs.
“Does anybody really think three late grants for rainwater tanks is a fitting way to commemorate 100 years of surf life saving, or that the entire community is benefiting as a result of this hopeless mismanagement of water savings policies?
“This program stands as another stark example of how Labor is failing to deliver on water infrastructure and is incapable of managing its spending promises.”