Nick McKim MP | Greens State Growth spokesperson
The government has serious questions to answer after Minister for State Growth Matthew Groom admitted that a secret ex-gratia payment had been made in relation to the compulsory acquisition of land for the South Arm Highway upgrades.
Mr Groom did not deny that the payment had been made against the advice of the Department of Treasury and Finance.
This is potentially a serious mis-use of taxpayer’s funds.
Mr Groom needs to come clean on how much the ex-gratia payment was, who it was made to, and why it was made.
The government should not be in the business of secretly throwing around large amounts of taxpayers money without explaining how it occurred, and why it was paid out.