Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 7:26:17 to 7:33:01
The committee examines whether the $6.05 million grant for the Marrickville Golf Club includes sewage works, highlighting discrepancies between ministerial statements and departmental scope.
Topics: Grants administration, Infrastructure
Speakers: Hon Bridget McKenzie, Hon Anthony Chisholm, Jacinta McDonald, Senator Glenn Sterle, Unknown Speaker
so much. Good to see you all again. Long I wanted to go to the major and local community And to follow up on some questions asked uh last Thursday when asked about whether the $6.05 $05 million committed to the Marrick Bull Golf Club project uh would go towards fixing sewage issues which have already been funded by the New South Wales government. Departmental officials told the committee the sewage works are not in the scope of this grant. The grant focuses on storm water. Can we confirm again today the evidence from last week that fixing the raw sewage problem is not in the scope of the project uh as outlined in the project funding
>> Uh just McDonald assistant secretary community infrastructure and major projects branch. Senator I can confirm that suridge is not a component of this
Is the department aware that when asked by news 24 yesterday about whether the grant to the golf club is going to sewage works as the prime minister had said in parliament minister king replied well I have to go back yes that is the works there's two levels of work so both it is to look at the water outflow from the golf club itself and to deal with the sewage issue the contract I think uh it's actually with the local council not with the golf club itself. It's underway at the moment and the scope of work is still being developed but my understanding very clearly that it is both for sewage works and some of the facil facilities development out there. Now I understand from the minister's public con comment that it was Minister McBain who actually signed off on the Marville Golf Club grant.
>> That is correct. She was acting for Minister King at the time while she was on leave.
>> But has the department provided any briefings or advice to Minister King on what the grant is funding and more importantly in this case what it's not
>> So as part of the approval brief that was provided to Minister King, we outlined the scope of the project and
the scope of the project. Did it include sewage works or not sewage works? Which is why I wanted to confirm your evidence from last week.
>> It does not include Sir Rich Works,
>> But it did to start with, didn't it? >> That's what I heard the other day.
>> No, no, you didn't. This is the problem. Senator Sterle, the prime minister has stood up in the House of Representatives saying this grant is for sewage works. Minister King yesterday on News 24 in questions from Andrew Clell said uh it did include sewage works and yet every time I asked the department who is tasked with administering the implementation of this grant program does it include sewage works the answer is no. And when we asked the mayor uh who is opusing the grant, it didn't include sewage work either because the New South Wales state government as I understand it has funded the sewage >> That is correct. >> So minister, did the prime minister mislead parliament when he stood up and said this grant
don't believe so, Senator McKenzie. I think that was uh part of the original plan, but as often happens, as the scope of uh these uh sorts of uh announcements happen, the scope can change. And the New South Wales government is my understanding, stepped in in support of the sewage work. So, it's a good outcome for the BS club. And the department went
through, sorry, the golf club. the golf
club. Uh the department uh went through the process here about uh assessing this and determined that uh the project that we are funding is good value for money.
>> Has Minister King's Has Minister King's office ever requested advice from the department as to whether the $6 million grant is or is not funding the sewage problem?
So the department provided the minister with the approval brief for the project which outlined the scope
>> and the scope that the department sees is being funded doesn't include sewage work does or it doesn't
>> it does not include sewage work
and did the scope of the project change post election
>> I believe this this might help Senator McKenzie that the New South Wales announced on the 17th 18 of September 2025 um that they were going to uh be providing some money to deal with sewage related issues at the club
>> 2025
>> 17th of September 2025.
>> So why did the prime minister stand up in 2026 in the House of Representatives and claimed that the project was delivering sewage works? Why did Minister King get on News 24 yesterday and [clears throat] talk about the project funding sewage works? Minister.
>> Well, I don't think that's an accurate reflection on
>> I'm happy to table the transcripts
>> and I'm I'm happy to have I think that would be helpful in terms of that
though. My understanding can my office get those
>> my understanding of the minister uh king in terms of her com uh media interview yesterday was that uh she would have to check and that the design scope is still underway um with some of the comments that she made in relation to that
matter. I'm very very happy to table both the handsard of the prime minister uh Albanesei confirming what maybe a year after the New South Wales government actually provides the funding for the sewage work to this golf club uh standing up in the house saying this project will be funding sewage works confirmed again by Minister King yesterday but I will um return to that once those transcripts groups arrive um from downstairs. Thank you to the departmental officials. Um, has the department been requested to