MEDIA RELEASE: GOVERNMENT UNABLE TO PROVIDE EXACT FUNDRAISING FIGURE

Today in both the Senate and the House of Representatives the Government again could not answer the direct question about how much money the Great Barrier Reef Foundation has fundraised.
 
The first figure was $80 million then it was $65 million and then $60 million and today they wouldn’t even give a number.
 
The Government has claimed over and over again that it conducted due diligence prior to the offer of half a billion dollars being made. But how on earth can the Government claim there was extensive due diligence when they cannot settle one single dollar amount?
 
It was also revealed today that the Great Barrier Reef Foundation had to contract out a ‘fundraising plan consultant’ to conduct their fundraising.
But yet the Government claims that fundraising is the core expertise of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
 
When the Government didn't contact the Foundation, didn't go through the reports, didn't know how much money the foundation had raised how can the Prime Minister be sure this private foundation is best suited to handle half a billion dollars and the health of our precious Reef?
  
WEDNESDAY, 15 AUGUST 2018