MP Nola Marino's area benefits from $140m grant as she declares interest 10 years late

Updated

The Government's Chief Whip was 10 years late in declaring she had sold interests in an entity whose members are set to benefit from $140 million in funding.

Government funding for a project to improve water quality in south-west Western Australia has been announced today — despite Infrastructure Australia saying last year the case for public funding "is not clear".

Three separate times in the past decade Nola Marino, Liberal MP for Forrest in Western Australia, declared she had a stake in two bodies linked to the project.

But on April 9 she disclosed she no longer holds any shares in the two entities that make up South West Irrigation, claiming her holdings were transferred to her husband in 2008 soon after she entered Parliament.

Her husband remains on the board of one of the entities.

The project promises to deliver better quality water to members of South West Irrigation.

In addition, property she owns is in the area set to benefit from the project, according to the project plan (the map is provided below).

Ms Marino told the ABC that the Myalup-Wellington Dam Project was a "massive boon" for the region.

"These decisions have been made by the Federal and State Government - completely independent of myself," she said.

"All required disclosures were made prior to this announcement."

Question of public funding

South West Irrigation entity Harvey Water — a cooperative which sells water for local farmers — is involved in the Myalup-Wellington Dam water project, which will receive $140 million in funding and an additional $50 million concessional loan, announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today.

According to the latest annual report it will invest $30 million and reap benefits such as the "supply of better quality water to Collie River Irrigation Districts Members and other customers".

Mr Turnbull said today the project will "divert high-saline inflows upstream from Wellington Dam for desalination, improving the quality of water stored in and released from the dam for agriculture".

Ms Marino's latest disclosure — 10 years late according to rules governing the register of interests — contradicts three other declarations she has made since being elected in 2007.

Despite the apparent breach of the disclosure regime, Ms Marino did not accept she made an error.

"The shares were transferred over 10 years ago to my husband," she told the ABC earlier in April, claiming she wanted to "further clarify" this in the latest disclosure.

She has recently taken up a position on the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources.

Regional benefits

Asked to address the apparent conflict of interest, she noted that the Wellington Dam "isn't located in my electorate, it's in the seat of O'Connor".

The project is set to provide water to the Myalup area, where Mr and Mrs Marino have disclosed they own property.

Ms Marino's husband, Charlie Marino, is on the board of one of the South West Irrigation entities.

The couple are dairy farmers in the area.

The project was assessed by Infrastructure Australia last year.

Despite identifying the project as a "priority project" and praising its economic potential, the independent infrastructure adviser described the case for public funding as "not clear".

"The benefits to users are predominantly private, accruing to [project owner] Collie Water, [the state's] Water Corporation and agricultural producers," the document, released in November, reads.

"It is not clear how Australian Government funding would address a market failure which could not be addressed by the proponent, private sector or WA Government."

MPs who breach the rules governing the register of interests face a charge of "serious contempt" of the House of Representatives.

Last year it was feared calls for federal funding for the Wellington Dam project had been ignored in favour of support for the Murray-Darling Basin.

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, wa, australia

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