Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie insists she is not preparing to quit over a deepening sports rorts scandal engulfing the Coalition government.
#BREAKING: Bridget McKenzie is expected to resign from the frontbench by Friday afternoon, reports Sky News Political Editor @aclennell. https://t.co/q2C3A8DRB6
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) January 23, 2020
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has referred a $100 million grants program to secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Philip Gaetjens to see if the former sports minister breached ministerial standards.
A damning Auditor-General’s report found most of cash was spent in marginal seats before last year’s federal election.
At last night’s dinner the PM and Treasurer told the DPM McKenzie has to go, but McCormack said that he’s worried about how that might open the door to Barnaby Joyce coming back onto the frontbench. What a mess….and this btw doesn’t even speak to the wrongdoings 🙄🤷♂️
— Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) January 23, 2020
Despite immense pressure to quit her senior cabinet role, Senator McKenzie is digging in.
“The minister is not resigning. She is actively engaging in the process and is confident there has not been a breach in ministerial standards,” a spokeswoman said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is trying to tighten the screws on Senator McKenzie and link the scandal to Mr Morrison’s office.
“This abuse is rank. It stinks more than a bucket of prawn heads that you left out on a hot day like today. The stench goes all the way up to the government,” he said.
“Bridget McKenzie needs to resign and there needs to be full transparency about which applications were successful, which applications weren’t, where they ranked, what the process was behind this scandal.”
This is a rort. Bridget McKenzie must resign – and if she won’t, Scott Morrison must sack her. https://t.co/OwK9pVGpfX
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 21, 2020
The Auditor-General found Senator McKenzie ignored Sport Australia’s advice on which organisations should get grants, with 73 per cent of the projects not recommended by the agency.
Senator McKenzie came under increasing pressure on Wednesday after it was revealed she gave $36,000 to a Victorian shooting club of which she is a member.
-with AAP
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