New inquiry into sport grants by end of week, Georgina Downer could be called as witness
Labor wants to get to the bottom of the sports rorts scandal by calling on candidates who had advance notice of the grants – such as Georgina Downer.
SA News
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- Bridget McKenzie resigns over ministerial standards breach
- At least 12 SA clubs with high scores missed out on funding
Georgina Downer could be called before a Senate inquiry into the $100 million so-called sports rorts scandal, which is set to be launched by the end of the week.
The scandal which has engulfed the Federal Government for more than two weeks is far from over, despite minister Bridget McKenzie resigning on Sunday.
Frustrated South Australian clubs that missed out on funding are demanding more transparency, amid conflicting evidence about whether pork-barrelling occurred.
Labor, the Greens and crossbench senators will vote to establish a Senate inquiry into alleged “rorting” by Thursday.
Labor has flagged Ms Downer could be called before the inquiry to answer questions about a novelty cheque for $127,373 she handed the Yankalilla Bowling Club in February 2019.
The cheque being delivered by a Liberal candidate sparked questions about inappropriate use of the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants program, and led to an independent audit by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).
“This scandal goes beyond what Bridget McKenzie did as Minister,” Labor’s sport spokesman Don Farrell said.
“Labor will get to the bottom of who was involved in this scheme, including any involvement of the Prime Minister or his office.
“Given Georgina Downer was one of dozens of Liberal and National candidates given advance notice of grants, we expect she will be keen to clarify how this occurred.”
Echunga Netball Club president Carolyn Downing said it was “probably a good thing” Senator McKenzie resigned.
The netball club missed out on a $40,000 grant despite Sport Australia ranking them as one of the most deserving.
“It seemed like it (the grant program) was not handled the right way,” Ms Downing said.
“Hopefully there’s more transparency now. And hopefully the Government will get in touch with those clubs who missed out.”
South Adelaide Football Club chief executive Neill Sharpe also called for money to flow to clubs that missed out if it was found the process had been handled unfairly.
The football club, in the safe Labor seat of Kingston, had its application for $500,000 to build female changerooms rejected, while a rugby club in the key Liberal-held seat of Sturt, which did not field a women’s team last year, received the same amount, partly for new female changerooms.
Senator McKenzie stepped down after a review by Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phillip Gaetjens found she breached ministerial standards by failing to declare her membership of a shooting club that received a $36,000 grant.
The Senator on Monday said the review confirmed “there was no political bias” in her decision making and ministerial discretion had been exercised “in an appropriate manner”.
But the Gaetjens report won’t be made public. Its findings are far removed from the ANAO’s damning audit, which found evidence the minister’s office had made decisions based on location, and if applications were in target or marginal seats.