‘Rorting’ claims over bushfire grants rejected by NSW premier

Federal emergency management minister Murray Watt criticises state cabinet over relief program

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Dominic Perrottet has defended his role in the New South Wales government's allocation of Black Summer recovery grants after the federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, accused him of being part of a rorting" process that saw money funnelled away from Labor electorates.

The allegations were made after a national emergency management agency official told Senate estimates this week that they understood the grants went to the NSW cabinet's expenditure review committee (ECR) before being finalised.

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