NSW parliament Question Time erupts over grants scandal

NSW politicians shouted over each other in a heated exchange that saw one MP thrown out of the room.

NSW parliamentarians have shouted and traded barbs over a controversial grants issue that has become a lasting headache for Gladys Berejiklian’s government.

When the state parliament returned after a two-week hiatus, Labor MPs were eager to keep hammering the Premier over the Stronger Communities Fund, a $252 million grants scheme that was doled out almost exclusively to government-held seats and has become the subject of an upper house inquiry.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stood firm against a barrage of questions over a grants scandal in Question Time in parliament.

Opposition Leader Jodi McKay asked the Premier whether she stood by comments she made last month to the effect that she didn’t personally make decisions on grants from the fund.

“I acknowledge the interest that those opposite have in this important grants process,” Ms Berejiklian responded.

“Very pleasingly, since we’ve been in government, we’ve provided billions and billions of dollars to local councils ... And I say to the Leader of the Opposition, which of those grants that have been provided to councils does she think shouldn’t be provided to those councils?”

Ignoring shouts and complaints from opposition members that she wasn’t answering the question, the Premier continued to rattle off a number of grants she said Labor members had been happy for their communities to receive.

When the Opposition Leader got up to ask a second question on the same topic, the Premier mocked her, saying: “Isn’t it good news to know that they’ve been working hard for the past two weeks to think of original questions?”

The upper house inquiry has heard that one of Ms Berejiklian’s senior staffers likely shredded documents that the Premier had used to indicate her approval for some of the grant allocations, which according to an opposition analysis went to Coalition-held seats 95 per cent of the time.

Electronic copies were also deleted.

NSW parliamentarians shouted and traded barbs on Tuesday over a controversial grants issue that has become a lasting headache for Gladys Berejiklian’s government. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Ms McKay asked Ms Berejiklian if she would direct the Department of Premier and Cabinet to try to restore the lost files, leading the Premier to mock the other side for the resignation of Commonwealth Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon.

“It’s little wonder Joel Fitzgibbon resigned from the frontbench today, because the Labor Party of NSW has lost its way.”

Throughout the exchange, lower house speaker Jonathan O’Dea gave out warnings to MPs for speaking out of order, and the interjections continued when Deputy Nationals Leader Paul Toole gave an answer to a different topic.

An unintelligible comment from Labor MP Stephen Kamper was the final straw for the speaker, who ordered him to leave the chamber.

“Out please, overnight. You’re out!” Mr O’Dea exclaimed.

In a separate exchange, a Labor MP tried to goad a smiling Andrew Constance into making good on his promise to refer Opposition Leader Jodi McKay to the privileges committee for previously asking the Premier whether disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire had a key to her house.

“Bring it on!” Labor MP Ryan Park shouted, but the Transport Minister did not rise to reply.