Child abuse inquiry funding sufficient, says government

The Australian
May 28, 2014

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/child-abuse-inquiry-funding-sufficient-says-government/story-fn59niix-1226934011030

THE Abbott government insists the royal commission into child sex abuse has sufficient funds, despite some of its funding being funnelled into the home insulation inquiry.

The attorney-general’s department has revealed $4 million was redirected to the “pink batts’’ royal commission.

But the government says the amount came from ”savings’’ in the department’s capital budget and from money allocated but not used by the child abuse royal commission for witness legal costs.

“The royal commission will have sufficient funding to complete its inquiry,’’ a spokesman for Attorney-General George Brandis said.

In response to questions asked at a Senate estimates hearing in February, the department said some of the savings came from its 2013/14 capital budget.

Another $2.7 million came from the child sex abuse royal commission’s budget for witnesses.

Federal Labor says the government needs to explain why the money was taken away.

“We need to know that this government is standing fully behind the royal commission,’’ Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said.

The Australian Greens labelled the decision as “unjustifiable’’.

“It seems the government is prepared to play politics with anything,’’ deputy leader Adam Bandt told reporters.

If it had an impact on the operation of the royal commission, people should speak out, he said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called on Tony Abbott to urgently reconsider the changes.

“Tony Abbott’s budget has made a lot of people victims,’’ he told reporters in Canberra.

”But Tony Abbott’s latest broken promise to cut the funding from the royal commission ... into child sex abuse is a bridge too far.’’

Senator Brandis later told a Senate estimates hearing that Labor’s remarks were misleading, before having his department secretary make a statement.

“There should be no suggestion that funding was taken away from the child abuse royal commission that it needed, or without its knowledge,’’ Roger Wilkins said.

An “underspend’’ on capital fitout works saved $4 million.

A further $2.7 million assigned to financial assistance for witnesses and legal costs, was not used.

“Money that has been appropriated and would otherwise ... not have been used,’’ Mr Wilkins said.

The home insulation royal commission is likely to be completed for $16 million, $4 million under budget, Senator Brandis told the hearing.