# Labor gets 92% of grants in controversial scheme

> Analysis reveals federal grants program overwhelmingly favors Labor-held seats, triggering a Senate inquiry.
- Title: Labor gets 92% of grants in controversial scheme | Shortify
- Summary: Analysis reveals federal grants program overwhelmingly favors Labor-held seats, triggering a Senate inquiry. A $568 million federal grants program has…
- Keywords: albanese government, labor party, community grants scheme, federal funding, political favoritism, senate inquiry, anthony albanese, catherine king, victoria, new south wales, electoral advantage, news
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/16/community-grants-scheme-senate-inquiry-funding-favours-labor
- Published: 2026-09-16T15:00:24+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: albanese government, labor party, community grants scheme, federal funding, political favoritism, senate inquiry, anthony albanese, catherine king, victoria, new south wales, electoral advantage, news
## Labor seats dominate grants distribution
Federal Labor electorates have received 92% of the $568m community grants program's approved funding in its first five months, far exceeding their population share.
## Center report sparked the controversy
The Centre for Public Integrity revealed the scheme favored Labor electorates, including a $6m grant for a golf club in Anthony Albanese's own electorate of Chisholm.
## Victoria receives disproportionate share
Victoria has received $99m of the $248m approved so far, with $92m going to state Labor-held seats ahead of November's state election.
## Bacchus Marsh aquatic centre gets $25m
The single largest grant was $25m for a new aquatic centre in the federal and state Labor seats of Hawke and Eureka, both facing electoral pressure.
## Other states lag far behind
Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have received less than $25m, $15m and $8m respectively, despite being promised close to $50m each.
## Government defends the program
The Albanese government called the grants structure 'sound' and said there were no conflicts of interest because the infrastructure minister made final decisions, not local MPs.

> The structure of the grants program as 'sound' and claimed there were no conflicts of interest.
## Senate inquiry to investigate selection
The Greens proposed a Senate inquiry with Coalition and crossbench support to examine how projects were selected and whether conflicts of interest were properly declared. Labor voted against it.

> The public deserves to know how their money was allocated, who made the decisions and whether everyone got a fair go.
## Opposition accuses government of political prop-up
The Coalition says federal Labor is using taxpayer money to save Victorian state Labor's 'political furniture' ahead of the November election.

> Federal grants shouldn't be used to try to save Victorian Labor's political furniture.
## Independent MP calls for merit-based funding
Helen Haines, the independent MP for Indi, said public money should go where there is genuine community need and demonstrated merit, not where it delivers political advantage.

> Public money should go where there is genuine community need and demonstrated merit - not where it delivers political advantage.
## Key takeaway

A $568 million federal grants program has distributed 92% of approved funding to Labor electorates, raising serious questions about political favoritism in government spending.