Paul Toole splashed most of his Deputy Premier’s Discretionary Fund in Nationals’ seats

Paul Toole has denied allegations that he used a little-known government grants program as a ‘slush fund’ to benefit programs in National Party electorates. Records show otherwise.

Paul Toole has been accused of a cash splash for Nats seats. Picture: Jeff Williamson

Paul Toole has denied allegations that he used a little-known government grants program as a ‘slush fund’ to benefit programs in National Party electorates.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the vast majority of grants given under the Deputy Premier’s Discretionary Fund in 2022-23 under Mr Toole’s watch went to National Party electorates.

The grants program, which gives the Deputy Premier money to spend at their discretion, now faces the axe under widespread cost cutting ahead of the Minns government’s first budget.

“The requests for discretionary funding came from MPs and community groups from across regional areas of the state. Funding was provided to seats held by Nationals, Greens, Labor and Independent MPs,’ Mr Toole said in a statement.

“Funding was provided to community groups in regional NSW which in some cases may not have been covered by other existing programs.”

Former Deputy Premier Paul Toole has denied the allegations. Picture: Tessa Flemming

Mr Toole gave organisations in National Party seats almost $1.3 million in discretionary grants last financial year, out of a total of $1.7 million that was awarded.

Of the 72 grants awarded in 2022-23, 75 per cent went to National Party electorates.

The electorate that received the most grants was Mr Toole’s own seat of Bathurst; groups in Bathurst received 11 grants worth almost $350,000, according to government disclosures.

Government grants included an $85,000 donation to the Henbury Sport & Recreation Club for a refurbishment of club amenities, $80,000 for the Blayney Rotary Club to help build a rock climbing wall, and $60,000 went to the Panorama Motorcycle Club to assist in upgrading the kitchen.

An arts group that counts Mr Toole as a patron also got $10,000 to deliver “65 youth focused workshops over the next two years”.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by any of these organisations.

The Premier also has a discretionary fund that can be used to hand out money to various projects. Both funds have minimal departmental oversight.

Upper House Labor MP Stephen Lawrence, based in Dubbo, said the spending appeared to show Mr Toole was overwhelmingly favouring voters that voted National.

The Panorama Motorcycle Club scored $60,000. Photo: Supplied

“Paul Toole used taxpayer money as a National Party slush fund,” he claimed.

“This money was clearly rolled out based on who you voted for given most of the fund was spent in National Party seats.”

While the Premier’s fund is safe from cost cutting, the Minns government is now considering axing the Deputy Premier’s Discretionary Fund to save money.

The biggest donation Mr Toole made in 2022-23 was to the Gunnedah Sporting Clay Club, in the Nationals seat of Tamworth. It got $100,000 to help them run the Sporting Clays Australia national competition in September.

Grants to support projects in non-Nationals seats included $71,825 for a rural education program in Hay, in independent MP Helen Dalton’s seat of Murray.

Ballina Shire Council (in the Greens-held seat of Ballina) got just over $70,000 to resurface local tennis courts and install nets.

Since the election, Premier Chris Minns has made $391,000 in discretionary donations. They included $225,000 to the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, and a $100,000 donation to Rotary to benefit the Greta bus crash victims and their families.