Prime Minister Scott Morrison is calling for an international COVID-19 inquiry, but what sparked it? Photo: AAP/TND
I was lazy. I stopped counting politically rorted federal grant programs when I got to $1.1 billion.
I should have kept going to reach $8.1 billion.
That’s the total for 11 federal programs that have serious question marks – or worse – over their ethics, probity and basic governance.
That’s $8.1 billion of taxpayers’ money at the disposal of politicians who can’t be trusted not to use it for pork barrelling their way into government.
It makes Clive Palmer’s $83 million anti-Labor campaign look cheap.
In fairness, not all of that $8.1 billion has been spent – yet – and not all of it rorted.
But having watched the Morrison government so comprehensively raid the public purse, there’s no reason to believe they would spend the rest more responsibly.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Parliament on Monday. Photo: AAP
Now, when Australia is facing a potential financial crisis courtesy of the coronavirus, Scott Morrison is only sloganeering about possible “targeted, modest and scalable” financial assistance for the economy.
Mr Morrison’s office, the Cabinet Expenditure Review Committee and the Liberal Party’s campaign headquarters have proven to be adept at the targeted and scalable use of public money to get re-elected, but there was nothing modest about it.
When I added up a little over $1.1 billion in rorted programs last month, I was only trying to make a point about an inconsequential Liberal senator’s complaint about the size of the ABC’s annual budget.
That’s why I stopped.
But the rorts and rackets have kept rolling in over the past week or so, demanding a full accounting.
The score so far:
These last two don’t discriminate.
MPs of all stripes get to play with taxpayers funds here – $150,000 for each program in each of our 151 electorates.
Your local MP has to invite or endorse applications – the sort of structural corruption you would perhaps expect in the wilder parts of the Papua New Guinea political system.
The $8000 for a sailing club barbecue in Scott Morrison’s electorate is as good an example as any of federal politicians local big-noting with taxpayers funds.
It’s tacky, it stinks. It’s not what a federal government should be doing.
Bridget McKenzie’s role in handing out the sports grants will be examined by a Senate committee. Photo: AAP
This invites a bigger question about these political acts of noblesse oblige – politicians are too busy trying to buy elections to consider what principles might be involved in making free with other people’s money.
For example, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was delighted to open the new Sunshine Beach Surf Club in the electorate of Barnaby Joyce’s little mate, Llew O’Brien.
With the help of $2.5 million from the taxpayer, the club has built a flash bar, restaurant and event centre on its brilliant site overlooking the Sunshine surf.
Oh yes, there are better facilities for the life savers, cadets and nippers as well.
The previous bar and restaurant were more modest, very much Sunshine rather than neighbouring Noosa, yet still a fine spot.
I wonder how other bars, restaurants and events centres in the area feel about having to compete with such generously government-funded opposition?
That should be particularly galling for the Coalition’s IPA “small government” faction.
The best thing the Adventures of Bridget McKenzie could achieve is a re-think of federal government’s responsibilities.
The “they all do it” excuse isn’t good enough any more.
There are things that urgently need federal money – an increased Newstart allowance, social housing – that should take precedence over pork barrelling.