Sports rorts dispute flares as bureaucrat backs McKenzie
The secretary for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has backed Senator Bridget McKenzie over her role in the sports rorts affair, saying she did not show political bias.
National
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australia’s most senior bureaucrat, Philip Gaetjens, has doubled down in his dispute with the nation’s Auditor-General over the sports rorts affair, reiterating his belief that Senator Bridget McKenzie did not show political bias in allocating funds.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary also said Senator McKenzie had denied seeing a spreadsheet prepared by her adviser, which colour-coded applications to show which were in Coalition marginal or targeted seats.
The statements were made in a submission lodged by Mr Gaetjens to a Senate select committee inquiry established after Auditor-General Grant Hehir found former sports minister
McKenzie had ignored recommendations from the independent Sport Australia and instead allocated funds to clubs in Coalition or targeted seats ahead of the election.
In his submission on Friday, Mr Gaetjens repeated his belief that Senator McKenzie acted appropriately as the final decision-maker.
“Senator McKenzie advised me in response to a direct question that she had never seen the adviser’s spreadsheet and that neither she nor her staff based their assessments on it,’’ Mr Gaetjens said in his submission.
MORE NEWS
MELBOURNE AIRPORT ON TRACK FOR DIRECT TRAIN SERVICE
POLICE HIT BACK OVER RISTEVSKI MURDER PROBE CLAIMS
“Her chief of staff also told the Department of the Prime Minster and Cabinet that the adviser had categorically stated she had not shown the spreadsheet to the Minister.’’
Mr Gaetjens said there was “persuasive data that backs up the conclusion that the Minister’s decisions to approve grants were not based on the adviser’s spreadsheet’’. Mr Gaetjens acknowledged his finding “ … does not accord with the (Audit Office) report”.
Originally published as Sports rorts dispute flares as bureaucrat backs McKenzie