LIBERAL MP Bernie Finn has launched an extraordinary attack on western suburbs lobby group LeadWest, accusing it of being a Labor Party front.
In State Parliament on Thursday, Mr Finn called on Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell to investigate the Maribyrnong-based organisation over the “hundreds of thousands of dollars” it was receiving from local councils.
Mr Finn’s questioned whether LeadWest was fulfilling its role or simply boosting Labor’s prospects in the west.
“There is a view in Melbourne’s west that LeadWest is just an extremely well-funded organisation to provide an independent third-party endorsement for the Labor Party,” he said. “The view can’t be easily dismissed when we consider that the only group in the west that defended the Gillard carbon tax last year during my campaign against it was indeed LeadWest.”
LeadWest manager (business and projects) Craig Rowley described the attack as “bizarre”.
Last week the Weekly reported on a LeadWest study showing the impact in the western suburbs of the state government’s $300 million TAFE funding cuts.
Mr Finn said the report “could very easily have been issued by the shadow minister”.
“I am deeply concerned at the huge amounts of ratepayer funds that possibly are being wasted, and I ask the minister to conduct an inquiry into the funding of LeadWest by western suburbs councils.”
Mr Rowley said it was unclear what Mr Finn wanted the minister to do and under which powers. “There are other bodies like G21 in Geelong performing the same kind of role. Is he asking for these bodies to be investigated, too?”
Mr Rowley said LeadWest had never defended the carbon tax, but it reflected the view of many businesses in the west which saw new opportunities in a clean-energy economy. He added that businesses cited lack of training as the biggest issue in the area, hence LeadWest highlighting the potential damage to the area through the “bad public policy” of TAFE cuts.
