The South Australian government has denied accusations of pork barrelling over more than $84 million for local sports grants, almost all of which was allocated to Labor-held seats.
An ABC News analysis of the grants revealed almost all of the money earmarked to date would be spent in Labor-held seats, or in electorates the party seized from the Liberals and independents on March 19.
Premier Peter Malinauskas insisted Labor had not engaged in pork barrelling with the grants, with the accusation coming during a wider national discussion around the practice.
In the months leading into the state election, Labor MPs and candidates frequently posted on social media, making what then-opposition leader Mr Malinauskas described in November 2021 as "funding commitments". Sport clubs featured heavily.
After winning office, the new government's budget on June 2 allocated $84.4 million for local sporting club upgrades, with the budget papers stating "this initiative delivers on the government's election commitment".
Analysis of the programs reveals 69 of the 72 grants allocated to date were in Labor-held seats.
Marginal seats got more funding
All bar two non-Labor seats, Black and Hartley, which were held by Liberals David Speirs and Vincent Tarzia respectively, have missed out.
More than half the money — $44 million — was allocated to marginal seats that Labor was either trying to hold or take from the Liberals.
Only three of the grants would be allocated to projects outside the metropolitan or peri-urban area, on Kangaroo Island and in Whyalla and Yankalilla.
The battleground north-eastern suburbs were a focus of campaigning and projects.
$16.5 million will be spent on eight programs across three marginal seats. Labor managed to take two of those electorates from the Liberals – Newland and King – and held Wright, which helped set up victory on March 19.
Tilley Recreation Park in Surrey Downs sits just inside the seat of King and on the boundary of Newland and Wright. It is set to be upgraded with the help of $4.75 million from state taxpayers.
Under the plan, new clubrooms and change rooms will be built for a soccer club, as will new public amenities, while tennis courts will also be resurfaced.
Landscaper Brad Ridgway's family home overlooks the park, and he said parking was often a problem.
"It's extremely busy from summer through winter. You've got athletics in summer, the soccer pitches full on in winter," he said.
Lisa Meakin, whose daughter does athletics at the park, said a further upgrade was needed.
"I think it's really important that there are places here for our kids to be safe," she said.
When asked if the local sporting club upgrade scheme represented pork barrelling, Mr Malinauskas said "not at all".
"More than that, what we saw was a very significant proportion of those being made to Liberal-held seats."
Opposition Leader David Speirs questioned why these projects have received funding this financial year, while some other infrastructure and health initiatives have been deferred.
"I think it meets the definition of pork barrelling," Mr Speirs said.
The Liberals made their share of election promises in marginal seats running into the March poll, including in the seat of Elder where incumbent Carolyn Power failed to see off a challenge from Labor's Nadia Clancy.
"It's true. All parties do engage in this. And sometimes I feel a bit awkward about that," Mr Speirs said.
"I think we need to look right back at the value of community."
There are questions about what process was undertaken to select the government's projects, then fund them.
"We made commitments to specific communities, specific clubs, specific organisations and if we make a commitment, we're going to honour it."
But Mr Speirs said the commitments would have been through "a really rigorous, independent recommendation program" had they not been election promises.
The budget has allocated an additional $13 million for upgrades to female facilities at sport clubs.
Funding for the female facilities and local sporting club upgrade programs combined is $97.7 million. It has all been put into the current financial year (2021/22), with no further allocation over the budget estimate period.
The budget also forecasted an increase in the state's deficit in financial year 2021/22 by $143 million on the figures left by former treasurer Rob Lucas.
Grant schemes on the national stage
Pork barrelling, the funnelling of funds into specific seats to try and secure an electoral advantage, is as old as politics itself. But the practice is coming under increased scrutiny.
The new Labor federal government is using Commonwealth grant sagas over sport facilities and commuter car parks to bolster its push for a national integrity agency.
Last week, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he hoped the body would be up and running by the middle of 2023. He was asked if pork barrelling could be looked at.
"If any program of the Commonwealth government falls within serious and systemic corruption, then that's going to be a matter which the commission can determine that it will look at," he said.
Earlier this month the New South Wales anti-corruption watchdog held a public forum examining the legality of pork barrelling in that state.
Chief commissioner Peter Hall QC was asked if he would recommended tightening the laws around pork barrelling or outlawing it.
"I think that's the way to go," he said.
South Australia's ICAC, headed by Ann Vanstone, had many of its powers stripped by parliament last year, which may curtail its ability to investigate such issues.
