114:
appropriate weightings: community participation (50%); community need (25%); and project design and delivery (25%). However, Sports
Australia did not establish a framework for assessing the three aspects inline with the program objectives. The decision-making process involved Sport Australia assessment panel assessing applications, all eligible applications subjectively assessed as meeting the criteria were submitted to the Sport Australia board for its endorsement and the Minister for Sport identified as the final funding decision-maker as to the extent the proposal met the program objectives. Applications opened on 2 August 2018 and closed on 14 September 2018. Sport Australia received 2056 project proposals seeking more than
164:
report found that in the first round, 91 of the projects (41%) approved by the
Minister were not on the preliminary list endorsed by the Sport Australia board. In the second round, 162 (70%) of the projects initially recommended were not included, and in the final round 167 (73%) of the approved projects had not been initially recommended by Sport Australia. ANAO also found that while the guidelines identified the Minister in an approval role, there are no records that evidence that the
226:. The resulting report, handed down in early February 2020, indicated that there was "no basis for the suggestion that political considerations were the primary determining factor" and did not unduly influence the decision-making process; though what influence this report (known as the Gaetjens report) found political considerations actually had is unknown. Morrison said the Gaetjens report was a cabinet document and therefore would not be made public.
51:
applications were not those that had been assessed as the most meritorious in terms of the published program guidelines. The outcomes of the report resulted in extensive media coverage due to
Minister McKenzie using her ministerial discretion to favour marginal or targeted electorates in the allocation of grants in the lead up to
250:
was tabled in
Parliament in March 2021. The final report examined and made recommendations in relation to Sport Australia's processes and authority in relation to the grants, the role of the Prime Minister's Office in the grants process and development of a coordinated national policy framework for community sport infrastructure.
241:
this current sports saga as even worse than the 1993–94 sports rorts affair and joined in calling for
Senator McKenzie's resignation. Hewson had months earlier revealed that he was no longer a member of the Liberal Party meaning he did not face any repercussions for this criticism of the Prime Minister.
249:
In
February 2020, the Senate established Select Committee to inquire into and report on the administration and award of funding under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants. The Committee accepted submissions and held several hearings. An interim report was released in December 2020. Final report
189:
called for
Senator McKenzie to resign and made the following comments about grants awarded in April 2019, just weeks out from the May 18 election "more than 400 grassroots sports club had their applications, which were highly regarded by Sport Australia, thrown out by this government so they could
163:
providing ranking lists based on three factors which were subjectively assessed, and the minister's office later produced a list based on its subjective assessment that the proposal was more in line with the programs objective, with a colour-coded spreadsheet highlighting types of electorates. The
240:
John Hewson, who as the failed
Liberal Opposition leader led the attack on then Sports Minister Ros Kelly in the 1993–94 sports rorts affair which led to Kelly's resignation, condemned Prime Minister Morrison's disregard for the auditor general's report into the sports grant program. He described
50:
published a report into the
Community Sport Infrastructure Program titled 'Award of Funding under the Community Sport Infrastructure Program'. The report had two main conclusions: the award of grant funding was not informed by an appropriate assessment process and sound advice and the successful
180:
McKenzie's response to the report was that it was "a very popular program that funded 684 projects right across the country to help get people up and moving" and "all projects selected for funding were eligible to receive it." McKenzie also highlighted that the final list of approvals was not a
113:
The aim of the program was for more
Australians to have access to quality sporting facilities, encouraging greater community participation in sport and physical activity. Sport Australia was given the responsibility for administering the program and its guidelines identified three aspects with
168:
or Sport Australia advised the Minister on the legal basis on which the Minister could undertake an approval role. The report recommended that Sport Australia improve its grants management for high demand programs and improve conflict of interest guidelines.
145:
127,373 to the Yankalilla Bowling Club in February 2019. This presentation was not approved either by the Government or Sports Australia, but was the initiative of the candidate as part of her electioneering. The Shadow Attorney-General,
158:
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) on 15 January 2020 released its report titled "Award of Funding under the Community Sport Infrastructure Program". The ANAO found there were two processes in awarding grant:
659:
201:
found that she had breached ministerial standards by not declaring her membership of one of the clubs which had received funding under the program. The planned deputy leadership contest culminated into a larger
876:
848:
425:
122:
102.5 million was approved for 684 projects, which due to the large number and great variety, were assessed in three rounds completed in December 2018, February 2019 and April 2019.
223:
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477:
259:
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The ANAO report led to extensive media coverage and its outcomes were compared to the 1993–1994 sports rorts affair within the Keating government
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451:
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demanded the release of the report. On 12 February 2020, the Senate voted down a motion which would have stripped Senate government leader
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of his ability to represent the Prime Minister in the chamber until 6 March, unless the government tabled the report.
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134:
185:" because Labor seats benefited from her ministerial intervention. Australian Labor Party spokesman for sport
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requested that the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) investigate the management of the program.
94:
27.9 million for the program. The December 2018 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) and
701:"A government report has been locked away — but it wasn't the only thing kept from voters this week"
83:
59:
40:
660:"Government under fire for election-eve $ 100 million splashed in marginal seats it needed to win"
789:
71:
348:"Bridget McKenzie's sport grant cash splash is a particularly brazen example of pork-barrelling"
478:"Explainer: Bridget McKenzie is digging in over calls to resign but does her defence stack up?"
374:"Coalition gave out $ 100m in pre-election grants favouring targeted seats, audit office says"
230:
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and from her ministerial portfolio on 2 February 2020, after a report by the Secretary of the
138:
32:
800:
Adam Bandt and former Liberal leader John Hewson talking Climate Emergency on Sky AM Agenda
234:
130:
281:"Remembrance of rorts past: why the McKenzie scandal might not count for a hill of beans"
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608:"Six secrets of the Government's 'dodgy' sport grants hidden in the leaked spreadsheet"
556:"Sport Australia complained to Minister about political interference in grants scheme"
885:
725:
207:
147:
582:"Bridget McKenzie defends actions after audit finds 'biased' use of sports grants"
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Bridget McKenzie quits frontbench over report she breached ministerial standards
634:"Labor calls on Bridget McKenzie to resign over sport grants for marginal seats"
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182:
849:"Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants: List of Recommendations"
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504:"Call for investigation after Georgina Downer presents cheque to bowling club"
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Prime Minister Morrison commissioned an investigation by the Secretary of the
823:
63:
400:"'It's not me': Executive in government cash splash report stays anonymous"
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The Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program was established by the
805:
118:
396.6 million in Australian government funding. Funding totalling
877:
Sport Australia Community Sport Infrastructure Program Guidelines 2018
426:"Bridget McKenzie attacks 'ridiculous' Labor claims on $ 100m grants"
321:"Award of Funding under the Community Sport Infrastructure Program"
530:"Bridget McKenzie has nowhere to hide in sports grants scandal"
106:
42.5 million to the program with the total allocation of
245:
Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants
772:"Hewson condemns PM's handling of sports grant scandal"
749:"Pauline Hanson stymies bid to hobble Mathias Cormann"
824:"Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants"
31:
Community Sport Infrastructure Program that engulfed
452:"How rorting sports grants became a bipartisan game"
726:"Cormann survives Senate crossbench's gag motion"
260:2020 National Party of Australia leadership spill
141:was photographed in presenting a mock cheque for
62:in 1993–1994 that resulted in the resignation of
206:, resulting in the resignation of Nationals MP
689:, 2 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
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224:Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
190:funnel money into marginal seats instead."
229:Labor, Greens and the crossbenches in the
193:McKenzie resigned as deputy leader of the
181:Sports Rort, as the outcome was "reverse
210:from the cabinet and the resignation of
199:Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
818:
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476:Knaus, Christopher (17 January 2020).
125:The program came under media and the
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528:Lawson, Kirstenn (16 January 2020).
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658:Molloy, Shannon (16 January 2020).
450:Waterford, Jack (17 January 2020).
554:Probyn, Andrew (28 January 2020).
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770:Hall, Eleanor (3 February 2020).
699:Speers, David (9 February 2020).
372:Martin, Sarah (15 January 2020).
346:Speers, David (18 January 2020).
747:Coch, Lukas (12 February 2020).
424:Packham, Ben (16 January 2020).
398:Masters, Roy (17 January 2020).
325:Australian National Audit Office
279:Tsikas, Mick (2 February 2020).
58:The scandal was compared to the
53:2019 Australian federal election
48:Australian National Audit Office
16:Australian political controversy
892:Political scandals in Australia
606:Snape, Jack (1 February 2020).
580:Snape, Jack (15 January 2020).
214:from the Nationals party room.
632:Karp, Paul (16 January 2020).
502:Smee, Ben (24 February 2019).
96:2019 Australian federal budget
88:2018 Australian federal budget
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43:commencing in February 2019.
27:, is a scandal involving the
728:. Sky News. 12 February 2020
902:2020 in Australian politics
173:Consequences of ANAO report
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912:Sports venues in Australia
135:Liberal Party of Australia
129:Opposition attention when
204:National leadership spill
46:On 15 January 2020, the
33:Senator Bridget McKenzie
853:Parliament of Australia
828:Parliament of Australia
127:Australian Labor Party
102:30.3 million and
404:Sydney Morning Herald
21:"sports rorts" affair
166:Department of Health
110:102.5 million.
98:allocated a further
897:Morrison government
84:Turnbull government
60:sports rorts affair
41:Morrison government
907:Sport in Australia
751:. The Conversation
90:, which allocated
72:Keating government
68:Minister for Sport
37:Minister for Sport
23:, also called the
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290:28 February
187:Don Farrell
154:ANAO report
35:, the then
886:Categories
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266:References
78:Background
195:Nationals
64:Ros Kelly
858:26 April
833:26 April
792:and the
776:ABC News
705:ABC News
687:ABC News
612:ABC News
586:ABC News
560:ABC News
352:ABC News
254:See also
806:YouTube
70:in the
39:in the
231:Senate
860:2022
835:2022
757:2020
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712:2020
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139:Mayo
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