Albanese says ABC ‘should do better’ after it revealed his membership of golf club given $6m grant

A $560 million invitation-only grants program, designed to fund projects tied to Labor’s 2025 election promises, has drawn criticism for its lack of transparency, particularly after a $6 million allocation to a local golf club. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied prior knowledge of his own membership in the club when the funding was approved, sparking accusations of misleading reporting. The scheme, which appears to favor Labor-held seats, has intensified demands for clearer guidelines on how grants are awarded. Concerns over accountability and fairness in the distribution of public funds are now at the forefront of the debate.

Funding from $560m invitation-only scheme prompts calls to make grant rules more transparentGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has claimed he did not know he was a member of his local golf club when his government gave it $6m for renovations, accusing the ABC of inappropriate reporting.The money came from an opaque $560m invitation-only grants scheme to fund projects Labor promised at the 2025 election, largely for Labor-held seats, prompting calls to make grant rules more transparent. Continue reading...