As it happens, the proportions are roughly similar to those asked for by SPC Ardmona to save its fruit canning plants in Victoria. SPC had suggested $25 million from the state government, $25 million from the Commonwealth and $90 million from itself. In fact, as a proportion of the total, SPC had asked the Commonwealth for less than Huon - $2 in every $10 rather than $3.

Jamie Briggs announced a grant of $3.5 million to Huon Aquaculture. Credit:David Mariuz

Why did the Commonwealth reject one, creating ''an important marker'' and not the other? On Tuesday, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann tied himself in knots explaining that one was a ''grant'' while the other was a ''co-investment'', although it wasn't always clear which was which.

''Let's just be very clear,'' the Finance Minister said. ''We were not being asked to make a co-investment, we were being asked to make a grant from the taxpayer to an individual business so that they would be able to invest in a $12 million restructure of their business. We were not being asked to make an investment. If you make an investment, you actually get a share in the business and you end up getting a return.''

Governments of all persuasions support businesses, sometimes by direct grants, sometimes by tax breaks, sometimes by tariffs and sometimes by the provision of services such as Austrade, subsidised water and electricity, technical colleges and the CSIRO. Often the support has a broader justification. We are told the grant to Huon Aquaculture will ''support Tasmania's contribution to this vital industry''.