The state's Public Accounts Committee has recommended both houses of Parliament take a vote on whether a list of recipients from the government's business hardship grant program should be publicly disclosed.
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The government has refused to release the list of businesses that received a share of the $4000 and $15,000 grants due to financial hardship as a result of coronavirus.
It justified the decision to keep the list private was based on department advice which indicated public disclosure of the list of businesses may cause operators further financial and mental distress.
The committee in its findings noted grant applicants were provided with guidelines and a declaration which stated their details might be publicly disclosed.
It found grant recipients of government money were routinely a matter of public record.
The committee stated they did not agree with the government's rationale for not releasing the list of grant recipients for this program.
Premier Peter Gutwein in June told the committee at a hearing he could not see any reason why the committee could not be provided a list of successful and unsuccessful grant applicants.
But in August, he told the committee by letter it would be inappropriate to disclose details of funding recipients or applicants.
State Growth Minister Michael Ferguson two months later agreed to the committee's request to provide its members with a hard copy list of recipients that was to remain confidential.
A subsequent request from the committee to publish the list was refused by Mr Ferguson.
Labor has been calling on the list of recipients to be put out publicly.
Independent MHA Madeleine Ogilvie she took the issue of transparency seriously and would consider voting for the motion if one was provided to her prior to debate in Parliament.
If Ms Ogilvie voted with Labor and the Greens for the list to be made public, Speaker Sue Hickey's casting vote would decide the House of Assembly's position on the list of grant recipients.
Disclosure of the list would also require support from the Legislative Council.
There were 2870 grants in total handed out under the hardship grants program.
There were 1330 grants worth $15,000 each distributed and 1540 grants worth $4000 given to businesses.
