Ms BADGER question to MINISTER for HOUSING and PLANNING, Mr VINCENT
[10.38 a.m.]
In January this year, the government announced a $150,000 funding commitment for Master Builders Tasmania to deliver support for builders facing challenges with their businesses. Nobody disagrees with the need for such support. However, there are questions about how this funding was awarded. From publicly available information, we can’t see any open tender process for awarding this funding. We can’t see any information about how an application from Master Builders Tasmania was made and on what grounds it was assessed. These should be basic requirements for spending taxpayer money. What we do know is that the money was given to an organisation that’s headed up by the former communications director of your government. Can you confirm this funding was awarded to Master Builders Tasmania outside of any open process? Can you tell us how the application was assessed? Can you tell us who made the decision to award this funding? Was it you, minister?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question. There are parts of that that I will have to take on notice and follow through. I had been involved with discussions for a fair time now, even before I was elected, in regard to the building industry and the sustainability of the building industry and a lot of people in it. When I did my apprenticeship many years ago you were employed directly by a builder. Now, you’re employed more as a contractor and we give ABN numbers out very willingly to people. The old tradies’ thing of a Ford Ranger and a tradies’ ute and a jet ski is quite prevalent and good luck to them if they’re earning the money.
However, there is another side to the building industry of needing sustainability and people staying in the industry. A lot of those people cannot afford to buy houses as banks won’t loan them the money because they’re not directly employed as a subcontractor. This relates directly to that money Master Builders are wanting to make sure they train, not just in mental health but also in the financial sustainability of their business model so that a lot of these individuals can stay in the trade, tradesmen we desperately need to keep building in Tasmania. We don’t want to see those people drop out.
For the member, in relation to some of the finer points, I will seek more advice and come back to you on that.
Supplementary Question
Ms BADGER – Can I confirm that will be provided today?
Mr VINCENT – I will provide that to the House as soon as it’s available to me.
