Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00854:body:0:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00854
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 23695–26739

write to the Minister for Finance advising of the decision as soon as practicable after it is made.
       c.    There are two circumstances where grants awarded in a minister's own electorate do not need to be reported.
         1. senators do not need to report on grants they decide to award in their own state or territory; or
          2. where grants are awarded Australia-wide, state-wide, or across a region on the basis of a formula[43] by a minister, and any of these grants falls in the relevant minister's electorate, the minister does not need to report to the Minister for Finance.
    4.12.   Ministers may approve grants that are not recommended by officials.
        1. Ministers[44] (including senators) must report to the Minister for Finance on all instances where they have decided to approve a particular grant which the relevant official has 'recommended be rejected'[45]. The report must include a brief statement of reasons (i.e. the basis of the approval for each grant). The report must be provided to the Minister for Finance as soon as practicable following the approval.[46]
       b.   If a decision relates to a minister's own electorate (House of Representatives members only), the minister must also include this information when writing to the Minister for Finance in the context of the process outlined in paragraph 4.11.
    4.13.   The Minister for Finance must table a copy of a report received under paragraphs 4.11(a) and 4.12(a) in each House of Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of each quarter[47]. Any decision by a minister under paragraphs 4.11(a) and 4.12(a) must also be recorded on GrantConnect, with a summary of the basis of the approval, as part of reporting under paragraph 5.5.

Grant-connected policies
    4.14.   Grant-connected policies are Commonwealth whole-of-government policies where grants have been identified as a means of assisting delivery. These policies have been explicitly approved by the Cabinet as applying to Commonwealth grants. Additional guidance on the process to obtain approval to introduce a grant-connected policy is available on the Finance website.[48]
    4.15.   Generally, a grant-connected policy will be the responsibility of an entity other than Finance. The relevant policy entity is responsible for actively administering and reviewing the policy, including providing advice on the application of the policy.

  5.   Public Reporting
    5.1.       Effective disclosure and reporting arrangements for grants administration are essential for reasons of transparency, integrity and public accountability. Reliable and timely information on grants awarded is a precondition for public and parliamentary confidence in the quality and integrity of grants administration.

Web-based reporting requirements
    5.2.       Grant opportunity guidelines must be made publicly available on GrantConnect[49], except where there is a specific policy reason not to publicise the grant opportunity guidelines (see paragraph 5.8).
        1. Publicly