Original article by Rob Harris, Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 9-Sep-26

The Australian National Audit Office will examine the allocation of funding via the federal government’s Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Auditor-General Caralee McLiesh says it will then decide whether to undertake a full audit of the "invitation-only" $560m scheme, which was established prior to the 2025 federal election with the aim of funding community projects. Analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity has found that 73.2 per cent of the program’s funding was allocated to safe Labor seats and marginal electorates that Labor wanted to win. It has also been revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese failed to declare an honorary membership of the Marrickville Golf Club on his parliamentary register of interests; the club was promised a $6m grant via the infrastructure program. The ANAO will also decide whether to audit a $170m government program for multicultural communities; about 85 per cent of funding was allocated to Labor-held seats.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET