NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION GRANTS

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:14): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion a question relating to grants to non-government organisations.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: On page 235 of the Auditor-General's Report released yesterday, the Auditor-General raised a number of concerns about the process of grant funding within the Department of Communities and Social Inclusion. In one instance, 'an NGO received $1.5 million of payments for services that were not covered by a grant agreement'. My questions to the minister are:

1. Which NGO received the grant the Auditor-General was referring to?

2. From which subprogram within the department was the funding provided?

3. Why was no grant agreement initially established?

4. For what purpose was the funding provided?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:15): I understood that we might be having a special question time on the Auditor-General's Report at a later stage but, given the detail requested in the honourable member's question, I will have to take that on notice and come back to him with a response.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!