Scott Morrison has denied misleading parliament over the sports grants saga, as fresh evidence reveals representations were made on behalf of Coalition candidates – not just MPs – and the prime minister’s office intervened on behalf of five clubs seeking grants.
New evidence from the Australian National Audit Office reveals lobbying behind the scenes for $100m of sports grants including 18 requests from the offices of Michael McCormack and Morrison, party officials and Coalition candidates, including two from Liberal candidate Georgina Downer for the Yankalilla bowling club.
It was Downer’s decision to pose with a $127,373 novelty cheque to the club emblazoned with her face in February 2019, which lead to an audit office investigation into the community sport infrastructure grant program.
On Friday Guardian Australia revealed the prime minister’s office asked Bridget McKenzie to seek Scott Morrison’s “authority” for intended recipients of $100m of sports grants and coordinate the announcement with Coalition campaign headquarters.
The evidence from the ANAO contradicts Morrison’s claims in parliament that he had no role authorising the intended recipients of the community sport infrastructure grants. Morrison has also claimed his office’s role was confined to passing on representations from local MPs.
On Monday, Morrison told reporters “no” he had not mislead parliament, despite the ANAO revealing his office had written to McKenzie on 26 March, 2019 asking her to seek his “authority” to give out grants.
“Good to see the Canberra press gallery is back to politics as usual with parliament coming back,” he said.
At a hearing in March, the ANAO confirmed that representations for grants were made not just by MPs on behalf of their electorate, but also party officials and Coalition candidates.
In answers on notice, the ANAO has revealed 18 such representations, including 12 on behalf of projects that were ultimately funded, five from the prime minister’s office and two from deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack.
On 6 March, the prime minister’s office identified five projects on the “Wish List/Fighting For List for the electorate”, which the ANAO has explained were drawn up by state Liberal branches seeking funding for projects by electorate.
According to the ANAO, Morrison’s office “identified” the following projects from these lists:
Jamberoo Rugby League Football Club (Gilmore)
St Mary’s Salesian Amateur Football Club (Higgins)
Glen Eira Amateur Football Club (Higgins)
Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association (Macquarie); and
Northern Redbacks Women’s Soccer Club (Stirling)
The ANAO has calculated that projects scoring 74 and above would have been funded if Sports Australia’s recommendations were followed rather than overturned by the then sport minister, Bridget McKenzie.
Of the five backed by Morrison, all were funded despite only Glen Eira scoring higher than 74.
On 3 December, 2018 McCormack backed two projects in the independent-held seat of Indi, one that did not receive funding, and the Raise the Roof covered equestrian centre in Benalla, which was funded despite a score of 71.
In the independent-held seat of Mayo, Downer made representations on behalf of the Yankalilla bowling club on 4 and 23 January 2019, as well as requests on behalf of Willunga Recreation Park Incorporated, which was funded despite a merit score of 68.5, and another unnamed project that wasn’t funded. Yankalilla bowling club scored 77.
The Liberal National party of Queensland requested funding for the Caboolture Sports Club Limited, in the Labor-held marginal seat of Longman. The project was granted despite a score of 69.
One version of the project spreadsheet stated that the foreign minister, Marise Payne, “will support for this to be included in the next round” in reference to the Blue Mountains District Rugby Football Club, which was funded despite receiving a score of 50.
The Cassowary Coast Regional Council – approved for funding on 10 April but removed on 11 April when the prime minister’s office advised it was funded under another program – was also said to have “support from Nationals candidate”.
The remaining representations were all unsuccessful, consisting of one each from:
The Liberal candidate for MacNamara, Kate Ashmor
The Country Liberal party candidate for Solomon, Kathy Ganley; and
Two from the Nationals candidate in Mallee, Anne Webster
On Friday, the ANAO evidence revealed the prime minister’s office asked for late changes to the list of projects on 10 April and 11 April, 2019, the day the election was called.
Morrison has never explained whether late changes to the community sport infrastructure grant program were made with proper authority, after McKenzie revealed she had not signed off on any changes after 4 April.
The Senate select committee is set to call McKenzie, who has continued to deny wrongdoing but so far failed to explain the prime minister’s office’s role in the program.
