Expert calls Albanese government's golf club grant 'grey corruption'
Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey has told a Senate inquiry that a $6m grant awarded to a golf club in PM Anthony Albanese's electorate amounts to 'grey corruption', calling the broader $560m invitation-only grants scheme a 'farce'. The grant to Marrickville Golf Club was promised during the 2025 campaign and approved via a closed, non-competitive process. Research found 73% of the scheme's funds went to Labor-held seats. The government has defended the program as rules-compliant.
Source
The Guardian — World · read the original report ↗
Desk check · some claims need care
What the desk checked (5)
- Anne Twomey, University of Sydney professor emerita, called the $6m golf club grant 'grey corruption' and the grants scheme a 'farce' — Attributed directly to her Senate inquiry submission, as reported by the source.
- The Marrickville Golf Club was promised $6m in 2025 and awarded it in July under a closed non-competitive process — Stated as fact in source, consistent with reporting on the scheme.
- The Centre for Public Integrity found 73% of program funding went to Labor-held seats — Attributed to a named research body; figure appears in source but not independently verified here.
- Albanese said the funding was meant to fix sewage problems in the Cooks River — Attributed to Albanese's own statement, though Twomey disputes this matches the original 2025 announcement.
- Infrastructure minister Catherine King said there was no conflict of interest and the program followed value-for-money rules — Attributed directly to King's public defence of the scheme.