The controversy surrounding Bridget McKenzie's handling of the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program may be playing out on a National scale, but it's possible the distribution bias the former Federal Minister for Sport has been accused of has had very real implications for sporting organisations in the area.
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A comprehensive audit of the program by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) found that funding was not awarded solely on the basis of merit but rather in an approach "focusing on 'marginal' electorates held by the Coalition as well as those electorates held by other parties or independent members that were to be 'targeted' by the Coalition at the 2019 Election."
Among the audit's most concerning findings was that "projects located in Safe and Fairly Safe Coalition-held electorates received 14 per cent less funding than if funding had been awarded on the basis of assessed merit."
Given the Lyne electorate's reputation as a safe seat for the National party, it would be fair to ask whether applicants in the area were overlooked in favour of those in more marginal seats.
It shouldn't be going on and it needs to be looked into, especially when it's been so blatant.
- Barry Evans
But Federal member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie, doesn't believe that's the case.
While he refused to comment on Ms McKenzie's conduct given the ministerial investigation currently being undertaken, he maintained it had been a "wonderfully successful program."
Dr Gillespie believed the fact that four applicants in the electorate received funding was a good outcome.
These included Gloucester District Tennis Association, Taree Basketball Association, Maitland Rugby Union Football Club and Port Stephens Council, which applied to upgrade facilities at the Lionel Morton Oval in Karuah.
Maitland Rugby Union Football Club received a maximum funding amount of $500,000 while Port Stephens Council received $496,214.
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The Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program was established in 2018 to ensure more Australians had access to quality sporting facilities and to encourage greater community participation in sport and physical activity.
Administered by Sports Australia, applications for the program opened on August 2, 2018 and closed on September 14, 2018, with 2056 project proposals received in that time.
Successful applications were then approved and announced by the Minister of Sport across three funding rounds between December 2018 and April 2019, with a total of $100 million awarded to 684 projects.
Taree Motorcycle Club was one organisation in the area who applied for funding but was unsuccessful.
The club sought $500,000 to install lights at the track and upgrade the ladies toilets in the pit area.
Given the "prohibitive" cost of frequently hiring lights and the "disgraceful" condition of the ladies toilets, secretary Barry Evans thought the club's funding application made a strong case.
But in light of the ANAO's findings, he wasn't convinced it had been judged on its merits.
"It throws doubt in your mind," Mr Evans said.
"It shouldn't be going on and it needs to be looked into, especially when it's been so blatant."
He said he would like to see another allocation of funding given to applicants who'd been hard done by in the controversial program.
However, Dr Gillespie maintained the electorate had not been overlooked.
"Unfortunately there were way more applications than there were available funds," he said.
"I thought we did pretty well."
Ms McKenzie is facing ongoing calls to step down as the deputy Nationals leader in the wake of the ANAO's findings.
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