Sports rorts: Federal Labor is calling on the government to award clubs that missed out

Clubs that missed out on funding due to the sports rorts scandal should be given the money under a plan being pitched by Labor.

Grassroots sporting clubs that missed out on much-needed grants in the infamous sports rorts scandal should now be awarded the money, according to Labor.
The federal opposition has reignited calls for the Morrison government to fund all the projects given a tick of merit from Sport Australia.
Opposition sport spokesman Don Farrell said the move would help rebuild sporting clubs’ trust in future grants programs that was tarnished following a probe that uncovered pork-barrelling of tens of millions of dollars in marginal Coalition seats.

“The government can start the job of restoring the faith of Australians in these projects … by coming out now and accepting the proposition that we have put forward,” Senator Farrell said on Friday.

“Fund all of the projects that Sport Australia said should have been funded in the first place.”

Labor senator Don Farrell says projects that received the tick of approval from Sport Australia should be funded. Picture: Che Chorley

Senator Farrell said the government was funnelling a lot of money into infrastructure programs to stimulate the economy while sporting facility upgrades were shovel-ready.

“They’re right there, ready to go tomorrow because these clubs have been left in the lurch by the decision of the government to give the grants to their favoured mates,” he said.

“We’re about to come up to another budget. These are deserving projects … they particularly benefit women’s sporting community clubs around Australia.”

A Senate committee on Thursday handed down a scathing final report into the administration of the sports grants program.

Senator Bridget McKenzie quit cabinet over the spoirts rorts affair. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The Labor-stacked inquiry made nine recommendations, including funding all the meritorious applications and Sport Australia improving its communication with all applicants to ensure clear and timely reasons for decisions are provided.

Senator Farrell also called on the government to release top public servant Phil Gaetjens’ review of the scandal as well as documents such as the infamous colour-coded excel spreadsheet.

“I just have a hunch that what went on in the sports rorts program may well be going on in other projects,” Senator Farrell said.

But Liberal senator Eric Abetz and Nationals senator Matt Canavan said the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program administered by Senator Bridget McKenzie – who was forced to resign – was an “outstanding success”.

In a minority report, the pair said the inquiry was a “highly politicised and weaponised exercise” and the hearings were a charade.