Politics · Australia · 9 hrs ago
Research finds 98 per cent of invited infrastructure projects won funding
A study found 317 of 325 invited projects received federal funding under two Australian infrastructure grant programs.
The programs were set up after Labor won the 2022 federal election and allowed politicians to invite projects to apply.
The study found no confirmed case of officials rejecting a project on merit, though the reasons eight applicants missed out are unclear.
This has raised questions about whether departmental checks can prevent politically motivated spending, especially as the government faces scrutiny over a separate $560.9 million election grants program.
The study says checks after selection cannot compare invited projects with other communities’ needs or show that the chosen projects are the best use of public money.
Its findings will be submitted to a Senate inquiry into the grants program.
Research by the Centre for Public Integrity found that 317 of 325 projects invited to apply under two federal infrastructure grant programs received funding.
The study found success rates of 97.6 per cent for one program and 97.5 per cent for the other.
The Centre said assessments conducted after political selection could not show whether other communities had more deserving claims on public money.
The findings have raised questions about the effectiveness of departmental scrutiny and the integrity of Labor’s invite-only grants.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King defended a $6 million grant to Marrickville Golf Course, saying it would fund upgrades beyond sewage works funded by New South Wales.
- Who
- The Centre for Public Integrity conducted the research. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King defended the grant programs.
- What
- Research found that 317 of 325 invited projects received funding under two programs.
- When
- The article was published on October 28, 2026; its text is dated October 29, 2026.
- Where
- Australia. The article discusses a grant to Marrickville Golf Course in Anthony Albanese’s Sydney electorate of Grayndler.
- Why
- The research examined whether departmental checks meaningfully assessed politically selected projects and protected public money.
Australian government
Centre for Public Integrity
Effectiveness of scrutiny
Australian government
Catherine King said applications were subject to departmental scrutiny and projects had to meet requirements covering community benefits, viability and value for money.
Centre for Public Integrity
The Centre found almost 98 per cent of invited projects received funding and said post-selection checks could not determine whether other communities had more deserving projects.
Labor won the election and subsequently established the two programs examined by the Centre for Public Integrity.
The government promised a $6 million grant to Marrickville Golf Course during the election campaign.
Anthony Albanese admitted he had misled the House of Representatives about what the grant would fund.
Catherine King defended the grant during question time.
The Centre for Public Integrity’s research findings were reported.
- Invited projects awarded funding
- 317 of 325
- Priority Community Infrastructure Program
- 80 of 82 invited projects funded; 97.6 per cent
- Investing in Our Communities Program
- 237 of 243 applicants funded; 97.5 per cent
- Growing Regions Program
- 40 of 650 initial expressions of interest successful
- Marrickville Golf Course grant
- $6 million
- Total election grants program
- $560.9 million
What people are saying
An assessment of viability and value for money after a project has been selected may establish that it is suitable for funding, but it cannot establish that it is a better use of public money than projects in communities that were never given the opportunity to apply
will not be awarded funding