Morrison defies renewed calls to release secret sports rort report


Bridget McKenzie was forced to resign while Scott Morrison is dogged by the "sports rorts" controversy. Photos: AAP/ABC
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has swatted away renewed calls to release a secret report into the $100 million sports rorts scandal.
The report, by Mr Morrisonâs department head and former chief of staff, Philip Gaetjens, found former sport minister Bridget McKenzie broke ministerial rules by not declaring conflicts of interest.
But â in stark contrast to scathing findings by the Auditor-General â Mr Gaetjens found no evidence of pork-barrelling in seats targeted by the Coalition in the May 2019 federal election.
The government has steadfastly resisted pressure to release the Gaetjens report â but Mr Gaetjens did write last week to the Senate inquiry investigating the grants program.
In his six-page submission to the inquiry, Mr Gaetjens said Senator Bridget McKenzie had told him she had never seen the now-infamous colour-coded spreadsheet that advisers used to assess grant applications.
His submission came just a day after conflicting testimony to the inquiry about the eligibility of grants handed out by the Coalition before the federal election.
âThe information that people have been seeking has been well set out by the statement of the secretary,â Mr Morrison said on Wednesday.
In his submission, Mr Gaetjens said he found âsignificant shortcomingsâ with Senator McKenzieâs decision-making role.
But he also said her officeâs separate approval processes were not unduly influenced by reference to âmarginalâ or âtargetedâ seats.
Mr Morrison said it was a comprehensive statement covering Mr Gaetjensâ findings.
âIt is not the policy of our government or any government to have cabinet-in-confidence materials, of the governance committee in particular, released,â he said.
-with AAP








