Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he will 'continue to support' Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie over the so-called sports rorts saga, but concedes his government may have to change the way cash grants are handed out | rharris334
Taking questions over the issue for the first time on Monday, Mr Morrison said federal cabinet had signed off on the $100 million program but the individual grants were decided by Senator McKenzie and Sports Australia.
"Sports Australia write the cheque and ultimately authorise all the payments that go out in accordance with the rules, which is what the Auditor-General found was followed," Mr Morrison said. He said Senator McKenzie's personal intervention had increased the number of Labor-held seats that recieved grants and the auditor had found no rules were broken. "The Auditor-General report is a very serious report and we take very seriously and we act on the recommendations ... I stress, Sports Australia made the cheques and authorised those payments based on the decisions taken in accordance with the rules." Prime Minister Scott Morrison is standing by Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie over her handling of sports grants.The Australian National Audit Office report said it was not evident what the legal authority was for Senator McKenzie to approve grants, with Mr Morrison asking Mr Porter to “clarify” and “address” the legal issues raised. The audit recommended changes to the way the government corporate bodies, such as Sport Australia, make decisions when a minister has discretion to approve grant funding. Labor small business spokesman Brendan O'Connor accused the government of corruption and scolded Mr Morrison for allowing it to happen on his watch."There's no doubt that having looked at what's been said by the auditor, that we have a problem with the way in which the government has dealt with this matter," Mr O'Connor said on Monday."That has been dismissed this morning by Scott Morrison. But the fact is Scott Morrison clearly would have known the way in which grants were dealt with because he was the campaigner-in-chief for the Liberal party at the last election."
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