Senseless Development Commission Review Costs $400,000

Wednesday 28 Sep 2011

 

Western Australian taxpayers have forked out almost $400,000 for the Barnett Government‟s review into Western Australia‟s development commissions. 

Questions from Labor revealed the final bill for the review, chaired by the National Party‟s Wendy Duncan, was $386,722. 

This review was a senseless exercise from the start and was another example of Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls spending taxpayers‟ money with little oversight or accountability. 

It was also an expensive exercise, with $171,000 spent on staff costs and travel expenses and $215,000 on additional activities, including a consultant‟s report. 

Western Australians will be asking what return they will see from the Barnett Government‟s investment in the review. 

The feeble outcomes from the review could have been reached at a half-hour strategy meeting. 

Mr Grylls thinks nothing of spending tens of thousands of dollars on tattoos, lip balm and other National Party propaganda. 

He also awarded a $600,000 contract to two companies to market and communicate Royalties for Regions projects, grants and services. 

The Barnett Government‟s increases to household bills have forced Western Australians to tighten their belts. It‟s about time the Minister did the same and he should start by reining in unnecessary and unaccountable spending. 

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