More evidence of Barnaby Joyce’s chaotic and pork-barrelling approach to the management of his portfolio emerged in Senate Estimates today.
The Government’s discredited agriculture White Paper allocated $13.8 million to the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) to develop training programs to help farmers form cooperatives.
Around $200,000 was released to RIRDC to produce a scoping study for the work ahead.
Apparently not satisfied with the results, in October last year the Minister appointed Page MP Kevin Hogan to undertake the same task.
Officials confirmed that following Kevin Hogan’s report there had been a ‘deviation’ from the White Paper proposal, and refused to deny that the $13.8 million would be spent in Page.
The Department refused to table Kevin Hogan’s option paper.
TUESDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 2016
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