Grant Funding Disparity
New Report Finds Labor Electorates Received Seventy-Three Percent of Infrastructure Grants
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Key Points
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The Centre for Public Integrity estimated that, under a fair distribution, Labor electorates should have received $66 million less, while non-Labor electorates should have received $116 million more.
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The program guidelines listed social and economic benefits, project viability and sustainability, and an applicant’s capacity to deliver as assessment criteria, but critics said the closed process prevented those merits from being tested publicly.
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Forty-five electorates were not invited to participate; Indi was among them, despite a local golf club reportedly needing upgrades, according to Indi MP Helen Haines.
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Helen Haines specifically questioned why $6 million was allocated to the Marrickville golf course in the electorate of a government minister, saying: “This simply does not pass the pub test.”
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Centre chief executive Elizabeth Kovacic said discretion may be necessary for urgent or unusual community needs, but it “should not create a shield against transparency and accountability”; the Centre also found no published explanation for why a closed process was needed or how invitees were chosen.
A Centre for Public Integrity report found that Labor-held electorates received 73% of a $560 million grants program, compared with 23% for Coalition seats and 4% for others. Centre for Public Integrity said $493 million went to electorates where Labor was competitive, while just $66 million went to safe Labor seats, raising concerns that political advantage outweighed community need.
The invitation-only process prevented many communities from even applying. ABC News reported that 45 electorates received zero funding. Critics say the lack of transparency mirrors the Coalition's earlier "sports rorts" scandal, while the government defends quick delivery of election promises.
Stark Gap Between Labor and Opposition Seats
Labor electorates dominated the $560 million Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Centre for Public Integrity found Labor seats got $408 million—73% of total funds. Coalition seats received just $129 million, or 23%. The remaining $23 million went to other electorates. The gap widens when measuring need: ABC News reported that $493 million flowed to seats where Labor was competitive, versus only $66 million to safe Labor seats.
How an Invitation-Only System Locked Out Communities
The program invited select electorates to apply but shut out 45 others entirely. ABC News reported that Indi, the Victorian electorate of independent MP Helen Haines, received no invitation despite a local golf club needing upgrades. Haines questioned why $6 million went to the Marrickville golf course in a government minister's electorate, saying it "simply does not pass the pub test."
The program's guidelines listed social benefit, project viability, and applicant capacity as selection criteria, but The Australian reported these merits were never tested publicly. Centre for Public Integrity chief Elizabeth Kovacic said discretion may suit urgent needs, but "should not create a shield against transparency and accountability." No published explanation exists for how invitees were chosen.
Fair Distribution Would Shift $182 Million Away from Labor
Centre for Public Integrity calculated what equitable distribution would look like. Labor electorates should have received $66 million less than they did. Non-Labor seats should have received $116 million more. That $182 million swing would better reflect community need rather than political advantage. The finding has revived comparisons with the Coalition's 2021 "sports rorts" grants controversy.
Government Defends Speed Over Competition, Critics Demand Overhaul
The government framed the program as a quick way to deliver election commitments without lengthy competitive processes. But psnews.com.au reported that critics say the closed system prevented eligible communities from even competing. Centre for Public Integrity called for a shift toward transparent, needs-based allocation. Without that change, the scrutiny—and comparisons to past pork-barrelling—will likely intensify.
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