Politics · Australia · 29 mins ago
Marrickville Golf Club says Albanese's honorary membership was worth $1,100
Marrickville Golf Club says Anthony Albanese's honorary membership was worth $1,100 a year because it gave him the rights of a golfing member.
Albanese had said the membership was worth $5 for two years, the price of a social membership.
The club says it awarded the honorary membership in 2012, and Albanese has since written to formally decline it.
The club also says its $6.05 million federal grant was not for sewerage fixes at the course.
Albanese had said in Parliament that the grant was intended to stop sewage from flooding into the Cooks River, and later conceded he was wrong.
Sewerage upgrades are being handled under a separate New South Wales grant, according to the club's general manager.
The federal grant followed the club's proposed upgrade ideas, and the general manager said the initial $6.05 million figure was an estimate before detailed professional costings were commissioned.
Marrickville Golf Club said Anthony Albanese’s honorary membership gave him the same rights as a golfing membership worth $1,100 a year.
The club’s general manager said its $6.05 million federal grant was not intended to pay for sewerage repairs, which are being funded separately by a NSW grant.
The club said the grant proposal was initially costed using estimates and internet research, before professional costings were commissioned.
Albanese had said his membership was worth $5 and told parliament the federal funding was intended to stop sewage flowing into the Cooks River.
- Who
- Marrickville Golf Club and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
- What
- The club said Albanese’s honorary membership had the rights of a $1,100-a-year golfing membership. It also said the federal grant was not for sewerage repairs.
- When
- The membership was granted in 2012. The club discussed the grant and membership at a Senate inquiry on November 12, 2026.
- Where
- Marrickville Golf Club in Sydney’s Grayndler electorate.
- Why
- The club said it sought help with infrastructure problems and was invited to submit broader upgrade proposals. The membership’s value and the grant’s purpose came under scrutiny.
Anthony Albanese
Marrickville Golf Club management
Membership value
Anthony Albanese
Albanese said the membership was worth $5 for two years.
Marrickville Golf Club management
The club said it gave him the rights of a golfing member, valued at $1,100 a year.
Grant purpose
Anthony Albanese
Albanese told parliament the grant was to prevent raw sewage flowing into the Cooks River during floods.
Marrickville Golf Club management
The club said sewerage works were not included in the federal grant and were being addressed through a separate NSW grant.
Marrickville Golf Club granted Albanese an honorary membership.
The club approached Albanese’s electorate office seeking help with infrastructure problems.
General manager Mathew Ward returned with a package of proposed upgrades costed at $6.05 million.
Albanese promised the club $6.05 million.
Albanese told parliament the funding was intended to prevent raw sewage flowing into the Cooks River during floods.
Club officials told a Senate inquiry the honorary membership had golfing-member privileges and sewerage works were not part of the federal grant.
- Honorary membership
- Same rights as a golfing membership
- Golfing membership value
- $1,100 a year
- Social membership value
- $5 for two years
- Federal grant
- $6.05 million
- Separate NSW sewerage grant
- $269,000
- Initial grant estimate
- Based on experience, internet research and rough estimates
3 sources
What people are saying
That was purely my estimates based on a combination of past experience of renovations at golf clubs
It was not ultimately part of what was funded with the $6.05 million.
We haven’t audited the program, so we can’t make such a statement
If anyone wants to join what is affectionately known as Royal Marrickville, what they need for two years' membership is $5