The Fyles Government has voted against striking a parliamentary committee that would have investigated how the government spends federal money on Indigenous disadvantage, which was called for by the CLP, citing concerns about the recent federal cash boost of $250 million for Central Australia.

CLP Member for Barkly Steve Edgington brought forward a motion to establish the select committee on Wednesday to explore how the Labor Government was spending what he said was $1 billion of federal funding every year in Central Australia, including his electorate.

“We have no transparency over how that money is spent by the Territory government,” Mr Edgington said.

“We need an immediate audit of all government spending in Central Australia to figure out how much has been spent and where – what is working and what is not working.

“Until we do that, any additional spending will just be wasted by the Fyles Labor Government.”

Mr Edgington added that most of the programs aimed at addressing Indigenous disadvantage in Central Australia do not have declared outcomes, KPIs or “accountability that Territorians would expect with such huge expenditure”.

“If some programs don’t work, the money should be shifted into programs that do,” he said.

“We know from the Closing The Gap report that the government’s current programs aren’t working – the gap is getting wider.

“Throwing another $250 million at the problem with no accountability would be a reckless use of taxpayer money.”

While the CLP and the three independent members voted to establish the inquiry, Labor used its numbers to defeat the motion. It would have seen three Labor members, two CLP members and an independent sit on the committee.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo said there was no need for the select committee because the figures are “publicly available” and any investigation would be a “hindrance”.

“The existence of such an inquiry would be a hindrance rather than moving the Territory forward,” she said.

“The concerns raised by this motion have already got mechanisms in place to address what is being raised.”