The Accountability Round Table has developed a register of notable recent rorts or alleged rorts at Federal and State level. We define a rort as ‘any arrangement or practice that enables, or results in, the misuse of public resources, assets or powers for personal or partisan gain’. We consider that the proper use of public resources, assets or powers is for them to be used consistent with the public trust principle and with transparent, reviewable procedures for identified public benefits. We have not included other failures of accountability which do not centrally feature rorting, such as the Robodebt scandal.
The Register is drawn from several sources including ART members’ own knowledge, the Australian Democrats’ Rorts Watch, Elizabeth Minter’s article Gutless Wonders on John Menadue’s Pearls & Irritations blog, Michael West’s QED blog and Michael Pascoe’s report on Grants rorts in the New Daily but ART takes responsibility for the content.
ART Members and other visitors to this site are welcome to comment or suggest updates, corrections or additions using our Contact Us link.
| Jurisdiction, party, date, $ms | Name – Minister responsible | Description | Location | Investigator | Key issues – the result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cth, LNP, 2016-21 $1,004m | Building Better Regions Fund – Infrastructure | infrastructure and community development grants national | national | ANAO considering | favouring government electorates? |
| Cth, LNP, 2020 $448.5m | Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund – Agriculture | application process for local communites and businesses | national | Guardian | application process may favour large companies over small communities |
| Cth, LNP, 2020-23, $923m/3 years | Community Development Grants – Infrastructure | infrastructure grants for projects identified by government | national | see this link | timing of grants seems linked to electoral cycle |
| Cth, LNP, 2020 $301m | Community Drought Support Program – Agriculture | grants to councils meeting drought criteria | national | ABC | grants made to ineligble councils |
| WA, various, 2009-17, $7.5m pa | Electoral allowances | Misuse of allowances by MPs | WA, but similar occurrences in other jurisdictions | WA CCC | misuse of public funds for party political/personal gain |
| Cth, LNP, 2019 $150m | Female Facilities & Water Safety Stream – Infrastructure | facilities grants allocated through election promises | national | ABC | no guidelines or application. process |
| Cth, LNP, 2017 $30m | Foxtel – Communications | grant for coverage of under-represented sports | national | none | no record of advice |
| Cth, LNP, 2018 $443.3m | GBR Foundation – Environment | establishment grant to Foundation | N Qld | ANAO | no competitive process |
| Cth, LNP, 2020-21, $1,500m | Local Roads & Community Infrastructure – Infrastructure | support for local councils | national | new | favouring government electorates? |
| Vic, ALP, 2018-19; $17.8k of $3.4m | Migrant Workers Centre Grants - Premier | Misuse of grants for election campaigning | Victoria | VAGO | grants used for campaigning in state and federal elections |
| Vic, ALP, 2015, <$1m | Red shirts - Premier | electorate staff helping candidates in marginal seats | Victoria | Vic Ombudsman | misuse of funds for party purposes - ALP repaid funds |
| Cth, LNP, 2019 $272m | Regional Growth Fund – Infrastructure | grants to promote growth in regions | national | growth-fund-follows-sport-rorts-playbook/">see this link | allocation favoured government seats 89/11% |
| Cth, LNP, 2017-2023, $180m | Safer Community Grants - Home Affairs | infrastructure grants to improve local safety | national | ANAO | Minister alleged to have overturned recommended priorities in favour of targeted electorates |
| Qld, ALP, 2017-20; $197m | Sports Grants; Sport | Processes and impartiality in awarding of sports grants | Qld | Qld Audit Office | processes lacked clarity but grants made broadly consistently across electorates |
| Cth, ALP,1993-4, $30m | Sports Rorts Mk I - Sport | grants for sports clubs decided in Minister's Office 'on a great big whiteboard' | national | Parl Ctee & ANAO | favouring marginal electorates - Parl Ctee found 'deficient administration' |
| Cth, LNP, 2020 $102.5m | Sports Rorts Mk II – Sport | grants for sports clubs decided by Minister often contrary to advice | national | ANAO | favouring government electorates? – report by PM&C found Minister failed to declare interest in one case |
| NSW, LNP, 2019 $250m | Stronger Communities Fund – Premier | accusations of pork barrelling before election | NSW | NSW Parl Ctee | destruction of records of reasons for decisions? – continuing |
| Cth, LNP, 2018-20 $711m | Commuter Community Car Park Fund - Transport | funding of commuter car parks to improve trasnp[ort infrastructure | national | ANAO | finding by ANAO that decision-making not transparent or recommended on merit |
| Cth, LNP, 2018 $30m | Leppington Triangle | purchase of land for second Sydney airport | NSW | ANAO | apparently excessive price - incompetence, corruption, or ?? Auditor-General has referred to AFP |
| Cth, ALP, 2022 $750m | Community Grants | election promise | national | na | Is this the same as various LNCP grants programs? |
| Tas, LNP, 2018-22 $21.4m | Regional Grants | election promises | Tas | Tas Integrity C'ssion | Lack of transparent processes in allocating grants following election commitments |