New rules for Aussie sport clubs, community group funding slammed as ‘woke’, ‘ridiculous’

New changes to eligibility have been blasted as “ridiculous” as sport club owners and community groups are left in the dark over what they can receive federal funding for.

A federal scheme that thousands of local sports clubs and community groups use to buy balls, airconditioners, carpet and pie warmers has been altered by the Albanese government to favour spending on First Nations cultural spaces, gender-neutral facilities and websites that “support newly arrived immigrants who are not citizens.”

The Stronger Communities program offers $150,000 of grants in each of Australia’s 151 federal electorates. The previous funding round in 2023 gave more than 2300 not-for-profit organisations between $2500 and $20,000 each.

The guidelines for that round said “eligible activities” included airconditioning installation, kitchen upgrades, painting, the fit-out of men’s sheds, development of skate parks, replacement of scoreboards and spectator seating, or buying musical instruments and sports equipment.

Canterbury Little Athletics Club won funding to buy storage for high-jump mats.

Having that storage streamlined set up and pack up. It also incentivised the club to buy more mats, meaning children wait less time for their turn.

Friday competition now finishes before 9pm instead of closer to 10, club president Ljiljana Sentas said, which has been great for kids, parents and volunteers.

“It’s been a massive game changer for us,” she said.

Canterbury Little Athletics member Riley Dickey, Club President Ljiljana Sentas and club members Harrison Davies and Fuad Ogle. The club got a federal grant for a high jump storage cage. Picture: Richard Dobson

But buying sports equipment is not mentioned as an eligible activity in the new guidelines. Neither is upgrading a kitchen, installing airconditioning or replacing a scoreboard.

Now the eligible activities include establishing “a website/social media presence to support newly arrived immigrants who are not citizens”, “support towards NAIDOC week celebrations,” “information signage for places of First Nations significance”, “construction of or upgrade to a First Nations cultural space”, “extensions to a premise for the specific purpose of providing services to First Nations persons”, the “acquisition and installation of renewable energy sources” and “provision of gender-neutral facilities for public access”.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King’s spokeswoman declined to answer a question about why the changes were made.

“A broad number of organisations can apply for funding in the program including but not limited to men’s sheds, senior citizen’s clubs, scouts groups, surf lifesaving clubs, rural fire services and sporting clubs as they are not-for-profit organisations,” Ms King’s spokeswoman said.

“The lengthy list of projects might include upgrades to old, or installation of new, war memorials, signage and flags that commemorate Australians killed during Australia’s war efforts, or extensions to premises that support veterans, or the purchase of defibrillators or other first aid equipment.”

The spokeswoman declined to say whether a netball club could still receive money for netballs.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister Bridget McKenzie lambasted the changes as “woke”, “ridiculous” and evidence the Albanese government was “out of touch”.

“It is beyond absurd,” Ms McKenzie said.

People just wanted funding for a pie warmer for their club rooms or a shade cloth for their garden, she added.

Last week the government used legal professional privilege to block a Senate order seeking more detail on the changes to the eligible activities, which Ms McKenzie said was “pathetic”.

The head of a Victorian sports club that previously received a grant for equipment but did not want to be named said: “If you asked 100 sports clubs you’d probably have 98 that who would say it’s going to be more difficult with those criteria.”