Independent MP Helen Haines gets a question:

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure: The major and local community infrastructure program opened on 1 September as an invitation-only program providing up to $560 million to identified projects. With the merit-based growing regions program now out of money, organisations and councils in my electorate are asking how can they be invited to apply to this program? Minister, how does a community organisation or local government secure an invitation to the major and local community infrastructure program?

Catherine King:

As the member would know and I have had numerous discussions with her about this is, that, at elections, political parties make election commitments, and then under the grant rules, we are required to establish a program to then fund, assess and contract those election commitments. That is what that fund does.

That is the same way in which the community development grants program of those opposite was supposed to be used but, if I’m asked about that, I might talk a little bit more about that as well. But of course, in terms of what we are delivering in community infrastructure currently, we are already delivering billions of dollars of community infrastructure projects across our regions and our suburbs. Those programs have included $317.65 million through for suburbs, $67.6 million under the Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program, and the $230.3 million..

Haines has a point of order on relevance:

I appreciate the list the minister’s giving us, but the question was – how do our local councils and community organisations secure an invitation to this special program?

Milton Dick says he’ll keep listening that King stays relevant.

King is not happy:

I have specifically answered your question in relation to that program and what the requirements of me are under that particular program.

As I was saying, we are delivering billions of dollars of community infrastructure projects right the way through the regions and our suburbs.

And I note, in particular, there are a number of projects being delivered in the member’s own seat at the moment. She’s done very well out of the regional precincts and partnerships program, and the urban precincts and growing regions program as well.

And those projects, I know, are incredibly important to her community, because she’s advocated very strongly for them. From the Benalla Art Gallery, Eildon Community Hub, the baseball club, they are all community projects that have been delivered in the member for Indi’s electorate. There are projects I could list in seats across the country that I could indicate from the elects of those opposite and on the crossbench. The roads of Significance funding – an increase for local road funding right the way across the country in our regional areas.