Auditor-General criticises Nationals leader

The Auditor General has criticised the Nationals Leader and Minister for Regional Development Brendon Grylls for refusing to table information in Parliament.

In May, Mr Grylls refused a request to table the contract awarded to a company to provide a $ 500 fuel card for aged pensioners who live in regional areas.

At the time, he said his department had advised him that tabling the contract would cause commercial harm to Retail Decisions.

He subsequently changed his mind and tabled the contract the following month.

The Auditor General, Colin Murphy, says the minister's initial decision not to release the details of the contract was unreasonable and inappropriate.

"When people in business are dealing with government they need to be aware of the need for a higher level of transparency," he said.

"That they should expect that a lot of the information about that transaction and that arrangement is going to be in the public domain, and should be."