Constitutional expert says Albanese's $6m golf club grant is 'grey corruption'
Professor Anne Twomey told a Senate inquiry the $6 million grant to Marrickville Golf Club misused public money.
A leading constitutional expert has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of 'grey corruption'. The accusation concerned a $6 million grant to a golf club in his electorate.
Anne Twomey is a professor at the University of Sydney. Anne Twomey made this assessment to a Senate inquiry.
The inquiry looked into a $560 million grants scheme. The scheme funded projects Labor promised during the 2025 election.
Most projects went to Labor-held seats. Albanese promised the Marrickville Golf Club $6 million during that campaign.
It was awarded in July 2026 through a closed process. There was no competition for it.
Twomey wrote that this was 'the misuse of public money'. She said the scheme is 'deliberately constructed' to look like it has integrity.
But it allows political patronage. The golf club had already got more than $58,000 across four years.
These earlier grants were similar closed grants. Most were for upgrades.
- 6 million dollars
- Grant to Marrickville Golf Club
- 560 million dollars
- Total grants scheme size
- more than 58,000 dollars
- Prior golf club grants over four years
- July 2026
- Award month and year
Why it mattersThe grants scheme raises questions about how federal money goes to projects. It raises questions about what decides the outcome: does the best project win, or does political connection?
AustraliaAustralian taxpayers fund these grants; the Senate inquiry will likely lead to changes in how federal funding to community projects is allocated and assessed.
Corroborated bysmh.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
