At least 12 South Australian clubs with high scores missed out on funding from $100m grants scheme
The Cherry Gardens recreation ground is in deplorable condition, says its president, hence its high score for needing an upgrade. They were dudded along with other worthy recipients – but hope there’s still a chance in future.
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Grassroots sporting organisations that were deemed worthy of a Sport Australia grant but were ultimately unsuccessful have described the omissions as “heartbreaking” and “deplorable”.
Twelve South Australian clubs are on a controversial list of the top 50 most deserving, with the Cherry Gardens Ironbank clubs, Coromandel Valley Ramblers Cricket Club and Echunga Netball Club among those that missed out.
Map: The South Australian sporting clubs that did not receive grants
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was on the front foot and was adamant that the $100 million grants scandal did not compare to previous sports rorts affairs.
But angry sports clubs from around Australia have called for former sports minister Bridget McKenzie to stand down after learning they missed out on the $100 million grant scheme despite topping the list of candidates.
Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground applied for a $480,621 grant for new change rooms that would cater for female players.
“Ours at the moment are basically a 30-year-old large shed that gets very cold in winter and doesn’t have adequate shower facilities,” president Andy Adams said.
“It’s pretty deplorable. I guess that’s why we scored 94.”
Sport Australia set a rating threshold of 74 out of 100 in order to receive funding.
But the community-owned grounds, which are home to four clubs – football, netball, tennis and cricket – and 600 members still missed out.
“It’s pretty frustrating and disappointing,” he told The Advertiser. “A lot of hard work from volunteers and members went into writing the application. It’s quite heartbreaking actually.”
Mr Adams said the grounds relied on grants because funding was difficult to come by.
He hoped the Federal Government continued with the grants program.
Victoria’s Kyneton District Soccer Club president Ron Cole said he was “gutted” and called for Senator McKenzie to be punished. “It is inexcusable what she has actually done and she probably should stand down,” he said.
The damaging saga comes after an Auditor-General’s report revealed, earlier this month, that the fund had been used to funnel cash into marginal seats ahead of the 2019 election.
A document later leaked to the ABC revealed the top 50 of 2000 applicants from around the country that were denied grants.
Mr Morrison has declined to take action until he receives the results from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet review by secretary Philip Gaetjens – commissioned more than a week ago.
It is expected to be returned as early as Thursday or Friday.
If Ms McKenzie is found to have breached ministerial standards, she may be forced to stand down from her current position as deputy leader of the National Party and agriculture minister.
Cherry Gardens Ironbank has since put in a grant application to the State Government to upgrade the facility. It remains hopeful.
Mr Morrison on Wednesday batted away questions about the Federal Government using the community sport infrastructure program for its own political advantage, and defended the scheme, saying the Auditor-General did not find that money was given to “ineligible projects”. “Let’s remember why we were doing it: we didn’t want girls changing in cars or in the back of the sheds,” Mr Morrison.
He did not deny his office was involved in the heavily criticised process.
“All we did was provide information based on the representations made to us,” he said.
“I will work with the Treasurer to see how we can better support more projects in the future.”
Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie said several of the SA clubs fell in her electorate and would be justifiably angry.
Ms Sharkie said she wrote a supporting letter to Senator McKenzie to advocate for the Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground.
“Many of the sporting facilities in my region are community-owned, not council-owned, so for decades they have they struggled to source funding to upgrade their infrastructure,” she said. The City of Salisbury also missed out on a $500,000 grant for a new $6 million athletics centre, despite receiving a score of 90.
“Council staff spent up to 100 hours carefully preparing (the application),” a spokeswoman said.
“This project is vital in the region’s development, particularly given the financial hardship experienced by a significant proportion of our region coupled with the important role sport plays in developing a sense of community for existing and new residents.”
Opposition sports spokesman Don Farrell said the latest revelations illustrate the stark contrast between the Liberal-held marginal seat of Boothby, where the government splashed $1.5 million and the safe Labor seat of Kingston, which got less than $500,000.
“The Labor-held seats of Makin and Spence combined got less than the marginal seat of Boothby,” he said.
“Even the Liberal-held seat of Grey got dudded – because it wasn’t a ‘target seat’.”
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Labor will move to establish a committee to investigate the government’s misuse of public funds under the grants program, when federal parliament returns next week. It hopes the probe will make public the leaked list of 1257 clubs that were unsuccessful.
Adelaide University Emerita Professor of politics Carol Johnson said the scandal would have already contributed to a “reduction in trust of politicians” which was already a problem in Australia’s democracy.