Government Grants Administration

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:38): In light of that answer, a supplementary question: will the Premier guarantee therefore that there have been no other administrative errors in the awarding of grants, and will the government audit recently awarded grants for other administrative errors or the risk thereof?

The SPEAKER: Member for Heysen, I will take that as a second question. The use of supplementaries is expanding out the number of questions from the opposition, and it is a separate question. Yesterday, the opposition had 19 questions, the Independents had four questions and the government had zero questions. Premier.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:38): I understand that the analysis that was conducted as part of this evaluation was comprehensive, and I have not received any advice around any other concerns in terms of specific grants that were administered or awarded. In fact, I do note—and I am talking in general terms here—that in terms of the evaluation that was tabled yesterday there were a number of references, and at least one specific reference from the ICAC, to the fact that on their observation that the administration of grants and the like by the state government had been done with complete integrity. There was no finding and no suggestion of any lack of integrity in terms of awardings of the Belgravia grant or otherwise, but there is a robust process in place.

There is always room for improvement, and that is why these types of evaluations can be valuable to the government. In fact, out of the reports, the various evaluations, five of which were handed down yesterday, some contained specific recommendations in different contexts, not in the context the shadow attorney-general is asking about. Naturally, they are being pursued by the government. I have asked the commissioner for the public sector to look at at least two sets of the recommendations. She has already been charged with those responsibilities formally yesterday, and we look forward to the outcome of that.