House debates Questions without Notice
Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:22 pm
My question is a serious one and it goes to the Prime Minister. Sport Australia has given evidence to the Senate that they received the backdated brief from the government approving sports rorts projects for funding at 8:46 am on the day the election was called. Given the House was dissolved at 8:30 am that day, why did the Prime Minister breach caretaker conventions by spending tens of millions of dollars on sports rorts on the day he called the election?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Tony Smith Speaker
Members on my left! The member for Greenway is warned.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I don't accept the allegation put forward by the Leader of the Opposition. What I can advise the House—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Prime Minister can just pause for a second. He doesn't need to resume his seat. Members on my left will cease interjecting. I'll start ejecting members. I cannot hear the Prime Minister's answer.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I don't accept what the member has just put forward, because the testimony today from Sport Australia was that they received a brief from Senator McKenzie dated 4 April 2019. It was authorised by the minister on 4 April 2019, approving the third round of the Community Sport Infrastructure grants. That's when the approval was given.