Govt under fire over movement of money to home insulation inquiry

ABC - The World Today
May 28, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2014/s4013714.htm

ELEANOR HALL: Labor and the Greens are demanding to know why the Federal Government has taken millions of dollars out of the budget for the Child Sexual Abuse Royal Commission.

The Government has redirected that money into the Royal Commission into the Rudd government's home insulation scheme.

From Parliament House, James Glenday reports.

JAMES GLENDAY: Harrowing and at times horrific testimony of victims has been the feature of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

But there are fears those in charge may not have enough money to complete their jobs properly.

ADAM BANDT: It seems the Government's prepared to play politics with anything.

JAMES GLENDAY: Greens spokesman Adam Bandt and shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus say they're alarmed by an Abbott Government decision to redirect millions from the inquiry into the Royal Commission into the Rudd government's problem plagued home insulation program.

MARK DREYFUS: We need the Government to say, we are going to adequately fund this Royal Commission, we are going to ensure that it is able to adequately complete its task.

ADAM BANDT: How can you justify taking money out of such a serious enquiry to put it into a highly politicised Royal Commission into former prime ministers, the likes of which we've never seen before.

JAMES GLENDAY: In total about $6.7 million was re-allocated or nearly a third of the cost of the home insulation inquiry.

In a statement, the Attorney-General, George Brandis, says both Royal Commissions will have enough money and will be given more if they need to run for longer.

He will be grilled about his decision in Senate estimates in Canberra today.

But it's just one of several issues he's grappling with.

There are more reports and whispers among several backbenchers the Government is preparing to water down its controversial changes to the Racial Discrimination Act

It's not a topic MPs want to talk about publicly just yet.

MARK DREYFUS: No, I don't have any view on that. No, not commenting on that this morning.

JAMES GLENDAY: And it was left to the Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to succinctly sum up what the Government's currently doing.

REPORTER: Do you feel that the new proposed changes might need to be watered down a little?

SCOTT MORRISON: There's a consultation process underway and the Government is listening to those consultations.

JAMES GLENDAY: There have been more than 5,000 submissions on the Government's draft legislation which would see Section 18C of the act scrapped.

Many ethnic and Indigenous groups are worried the changes will erode protections against hate speech and race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane says most people don't want the changes.

TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE: If it ain't broke don't fix it. The laws have been in place for close to two decades. They reflect our commitment to racial tolerance.

JAMES GLENDAY: The Government hasn't made a final decision and the bill won't be put to Cabinet for at least a few weeks.

A Coalition spokesman says its legislation will provide protections without limiting free speech.

But with poor polling and community backlash to the bill likely, independent Senator Nick Xenophon summed up the feeling among some in the Government.

NICK XENOPHON: It's a hell of a distraction. You know what, I think the Government's got other things to worry about. I'm not sure, I don't know why they want to pick a fight with so many communities around the country.

I mean the Howard government managed to live with Section 18C quite comfortably for quite a few years. I don't understand why the Government is picking this fight.

ELEANOR HALL: That's independent Senator Nick Xenophon ending that report by James Glenday.