Prime Minister Scott Morrison has referred the sports grants scandal engulfing Bridget McKenzie to the head of his department
The co-author of the ministerial standards Howard Whitton has announced cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie has questions to answer over her handling of a contentious sports grants program.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is seen with cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre.The Nationals' deputy leader has resisted mounting pressure to resign after auditor-general Grant Hehir found evidence the $100 million in grants favoured marginal seats in the lead up to the last election.Ethicist and public sector integrity sector expert Howard Whitton co-authored the ministerial standards under former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.
The auditor general found Senator McKenzie’s office ran a “parallel assessment process”, which ignored merit-based recommendations made by government agency Sport Australia. Senator McKenzie has refused to apologise over the affair, insisting all projects that received funding were eligible and it was “highly successful”.
"Bridget McKenzie should have resigned days ago, and if she won't resign Mr Morrison needs to sack her. We already know all that any real leader should need to know in sacking this minister.
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