Albanese concedes golf club grant was not for sewerage works
Anthony Albanese has conceded it was "not correct" to say that a $6 million grant to the Marrickville Golf Club, in Sydney's inner west, was for sewerage works. The Guardian reported the concession on 27 October.
The club is in Albanese's own electorate, and he holds an honorary social membership there. He has said the council owns the club and that its last major remodel was in 1947.
The grant's purpose was first described in early September. In question time, Albanese said the money would go toward "an environmental project stopping raw sewage going into the Cooks River during flooding". The Cooks River is adjacent to the club site. At the time, he said the council was finalising the design, which included clubhouse improvements, stormwater harvesting, a new toilet and landscaping. He also said the NSW government had committed in September 2025 to address sewerage infrastructure at the club.
Since then, a Senate estimates hearing, where public servants are questioned about spending, has been told otherwise. Jacinta McDonald, an assistant secretary in the infrastructure department, told the hearing that sewerage is not a component of the $6 million grant. Assistant education minister Anthony Chisholm said the scope of the project changed from the local council's original proposal, and that the NSW government stepped in to support sewerage work.
Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan accused Albanese of misleading parliament over the grant and urged him to correct the record. Coalition figures called on him to "stop the spin" and give a "straight answer" on the money.
The grant is under scrutiny as part of a $560 million invitation-only grants scheme. Transparency advocates say the scheme largely funded projects promised at the 2025 election in Labor-held seats. ABC News has reported that 45 electorates missed out on any funding from the program.
Separately, ABC News has reported that Labor MPs nominated the Marrickville Golf Club for closed, non-competitive grant funding on five previous occasions before it was promised $6 million.
