Bridget McKenzie resigns over sports rorts scandal
Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie has resigned after a report found she breached ministerial standards by not declaring a gun club membership.
National
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Embattled Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie has resigned as agricultural minster over failing to disclose she was a member of gun club that received funding in the sports rorts scandal.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced her departure this afternoon following the handing down of a report by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Phil Gaetjeans.
Senator McKenzie has been under intense scrutiny for weeks over her handling of a $100 million taxpayer-funded sports grants program which she was accused of using to pork-barrel Coalition and targeted seats.
Mr Morrison said the report found there was no basis “the minster had breached standard in that respect”.
“(Mr Gaetjeans) notes that data indicates applications for marginal or targeted seats were approved by the Minister, at a statistically similar ratio of 32 per cent compared to the number of applications from other electorates at 36 per cent.”
However, the inquiry found Senator McKenzie breached ministerial standards when she failed to disclose she was a member of the Wangaratta Clay Target Club which received $36,000 from the program.
Mr Morrison said: “By failing to put appropriate arrangements in place to avoid potential conflict such as asking another minister to make any decisions relating to organisations of which she was a member … the Minister failed to do that and the secretary found this was in breach of the ministerial standards.”
Senator McKenzie was on Friday night refusing to go until she saw the results of an inquiry by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Phil Gaetjeans.
Her use of the program, in which recommendations by the independent Sports Australia were ignored and money diverted to crucial seats ahead of the election, has been strongly criticised by the federal Auditor-General.
Despite strong rumours sweeping Canberra on Friday night that she was taking soundings from her Nationals colleagues about resigning, a source close to Senator McKenzie said she had not made a decision and was waiting for the Gaetjeans report.
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However, scrutiny will continue on what level of involvement the Prime Minister’s Office had, with several advisers known to have been in constant contact with Senator McKenzie’s office about the handling of the grants.
One source noted that if Senator McKenzie goes quietly, the 50-year-old could potentially resume her ministerial career several years into the future.
Both Sussan Ley and Stuart Robert were forced to resign as ministers in recent years – Ms Ley after a travel expenses scandal and Mr Robert for travelling to China to help a friend and donor sign a mining deal – but both have returned to the Morrison ministry.
Her resignations will trigger a round of positioning within the Nationals, with the need to replace a Cabinet minister, a Leader in the Senate and the Deputy Leader of the party.
Originally published as Bridget McKenzie resigns over sports rorts scandal