Scott Morrison has delivered nothing but another slap in the face to local sporting communities he ripped off in his Sports Rorts scandal.
After they were caught rorting the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants program so they could pump taxpayers’ money into marginal seats head of the 2019 election, Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg promised funding for the clubs that should have been given grants in the first place.
“There are many other projects that you would like to support, and the Treasurer and I will consider that as we go forward.” – Scott Morrison, National Press Club, 29 January 2020
“I will work with the Treasurer to see how we can better support even more projects in the future.” – Scott Morrison, National Press Club, 29 January 2020
“What the Prime Minister has foreshadowed is given the strong community need and the importance of supporting these sporting organisations, we would, in the context of the Budget, revisit a program of this type. A support, to support the actual sporting clubs.” – Josh Frydenberg, ABC, Insiders, 2 February 2020
“Funding these important infrastructure projects is and has been a priority of this government. The program received applications for some $400 million and we allocated $100 million. As I said last week, we think that this infrastructure is important to local communities. I did say at the Press Club last week that I will be working with the Treasurer as we prepare for this year’s budget to see how we can provide further support for this important infrastructure that brings communities together.” – Scott Morrison, 5 February, Question Time
“I believe funding community sports infrastructure always has merit.” – Scott Morrison, 5 February, Question Time
But projects across the nation that Sport Australia recommended for grants got nothing in last year’s Budget and have been left out again in last night’s Budget.
The current Minister for Sport has never even bothered to ask Sport Australia for a list of its original recommendations.
Those projects would have provided more and better opportunities for Australians to participate in sport and enjoy its benefits, as well as delivering local jobs at a time when economic stimulus was badly needed.
If the Morrison Government really cared about community sporting clubs, they would’ve already funded all projects that were recommended for grants by Sport Australia.
Scott Morrison only supports community sport when he thinks it will win him votes.