Embattled minister Bridget McKenzie has rejected rumours she will resign over the sporting grants slush fund scandal
The PM has dodged questions about the $100m sports grants scandasl as the minister at its centre rejected rumours she was planning to resign over it.
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Embattled minister Bridget McKenzie has rejected rumours she is stepping down over the $100m sports grants scandal.
As Sport Australia attempts to claw back $8000 from an Adelaide sports club that was placed into liquidation just months after being awarded the funds from Senator McKenzie, a spokeswoman said: “the Minister is not resigning”.
“She is actively engaging in the process and is confident there has not been a breach in Ministerial standards.”
Senator McKenzie’s conduct – including allocating a $36,000 grant to a regional shooting club where she was a member – is being investigated by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Philip Gaetjens.
Mr Gaetjens, formerly Scott Morrison’s chief-of-staff before he was appointed one of the nation’s top public servants, is looking into whether there was a breach of ministerial standards.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said he would “look at that advice and take what ever action is necessary”.
He also dodged questions about the missing $8000 grant and the operation of the program.
Mounting calls for the former sport minister to resign come as frustrated SA sports clubs, overlooked for funding, attack the Federal Government for pork-barrelling from a $100 million grants program.
Wheelchair Sports Association of SA (also known as Disability Recreation & Sports SA) was put into liquidation last May after receiving the $8000 grant to replace wooden backboards at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre basketball court. Neither liquidator BCR Advisory nor former club president Daryl Taylor could say where the money went.
Sport Australia said the project was not completed and it was trying to recover the funds via “the insolvency process”.
Senator McKenzie is accused of manipulating the grants program to favour key electorates ahead of last year’s election.
Lock Bowling Club president Kingsley Holman criticised her for “distributing money where she wanted it to go”.
Mr Holman spent four days on an unsuccessful application for artificial turf. He felt confident when told “that was exactly what they were looking for – small communities that were trying to survive and with a bit of help they’d thrive”.
About $1.73 million was awarded to clubs in SA’s only marginal seat, Boothby, at least $160,000 more than any other electorate in the state.
The exclusive Royal Adelaide Golf Club, in the Labor-held seat of Hindmarsh, was awarded $50,000 for solar panels.
Touch Football SA’s former president Jane Russo said the grants were supposed to benefit deserving grassroots clubs, not big organisations or marginal electorates. She was unsuccessful in a bid for funds to make parklands changerooms more inclusive for women, transgender people, and people with disabilities.
“We used to lobby federal MPs, but this was meant to be based on merit,” she said. “It puts people off bothering and wanting to apply for things.”
The controversy was sparked when Yankalilla Bowling Club officials posed with then Mayo candidate Georgina Downer and a novelty cheque spruiking a $127,373 grant for artificial turf and solar panels.
While that grant was later determined to be completely above board, the incident led to an Australian National Audit Office inquiry that uncovered the pork-barrelling.
The bowling club endured a backlash on social media.
“The negativity … we had … because of that picture was horrible,” president David Maddern said.
THE CLUB THAT STARTED IT ALL
When Yankalilla Bowling Club officials posed for a picture with Georgina Downer and a novelty cheque spruiking a grant awarded to the club, they never expected to expose a $100 million sports rorts scandal.
The club was elated it had received $127,373 from Sport Australia for artificial turf and solar panels, after treasurer Fraser Ahrendt spent hours on the application.
But the wave of online backlash that followed was unprecedented for the small Fleurieu Peninsula community.
“How about thanking Rebekha Sharkie for her work? … she’s your ACTUAL local member that helped you get the grant,” one Facebook poster wrote.
Almost one year on, the scathing national audit report and revelations of pork barrelling has reopened “old wounds” for president David Maddern.
“It was all political but we were the easy target,” he said.
“The negativity and the likes we had on Facebook and the like last year because of that picture (with the novelty cheque) was horrible.”
The club, based in the “targeted” seat of Mayo, has maintained it was just as deserving as any other – confirmed by former Sport Australia boss Kate Palmer, who in estimates last year revealed the commission independently recommended Yankalilla receive funding.
In October, the club completed both its projects with its own $80,000 contribution.
“Our new green was installed, it’s been fantastic,” Mr Maddern said.
“We had a recent big tournament at the club and we were able to use it.
“The solar panels are on the roof and they’re helping us reduce our costs”