NAIF’s sites of interest
EXPENSE claims and internet use by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility have been revealed in Federal Parliament.
Cairns-based NAIF is administering a $5 billion investment fund but has only approved two projects in the past two years.
In answers to questions on notice, former NAIF chairwoman Sharon Warburton, who was paid $149,960 (excluding superannuation), claimed $94,807 on travel and $13,500 in meals over two years, while current chief executive Laurie Walker, on an annual salary of $418,790, claimed $87,620 on travel and claimed $7309 on all expenses including meals, taxis, trains and carparking over two years.
Internet use by staff showed Facebook was the third most visited site, accessed 15,363 times just this year, and fourth was eBay, ahead of web-based tools such as Amazon S3, appnexus, Gmail, and LinkedIn.
STAFF at the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility appear to have spent time perusing social media and dining out while approving only two projects for Northern Australia.
New figures tabled in Senate Estimates have revealed the daily operations and costs of the Cairns-based NAIF office and its 25 staff members over the past three financial years, with one board member spending nearly $13,500 on accommodation and meals.
The NAIF, which is in charge of the Federal Government’s $5 billion investment fund for the region, has so far approved only two projects for loans since it launched about three years ago.
These include an NT barramundi farm, and a port expansion in WA’s Pilbara region.
The most frequently visited websites by staff shows that, while Microsoft Office online programs received the most use, Facebook was the third most visited site, accessed 15,363 times just this year.
The figures show eBay received the fourth most use in the office, ahead of web-based tools such as Amazon S3, appnexus, Gmail, and LinkedIn.
Former chairwoman Sharon Warburton earned $149,960 last financial year, excluding superannuation.
Ms Warburton, who resigned from her position last month, spent $94,807 on travel and claimed $13,448 on accommodation and meals during the past two financial years.
NAIF chief executive Laurie Walker is paid $418,790 annually. During the past two financial years, the Cairnsbased boss spent $87,620 on travel and claimed $7309 on all expenses including meals, taxis, trains and carparking.
The agency has previously promised it would meet its goal of funding three to five major projects by July.
Ms Walker said NAIF was still delivering on its mandate to grow the region’s economy and population.
She said there would be significant public benefit that would be generated as a result of the two projects that had been approved for investment.
“There are currently a total of 20 projects that are in the due-diligence phase of the NAIF pipeline and eight of those are in Queensland.”
Ms Walker said she could not provide details for commercial-in-confidence reasons, “but there are a couple of exciting potential projects for Queensland”.
NAIF did not respond to the questions and answers on notice nor answer the question: Does NAIF believe it is using its time and resources wisely to fund infrastructure projects?