South Australia's government has promised tens of millions of dollars to upgrade community infrastructure almost exclusively in Labor seats, a new analysis by ABC News has revealed.
The ABC has examined $27.9 million in grants committed to in June's state budget from a funding pool known as the Community Infrastructure Grant Program.
Of that money, only $770,000 will be spent in a Liberal seat --- Black — held by the Opposition Leader David Speirs.
Labor had previously denied accusations of pork-barrelling over its distribution of $84 million worth in sporting grants, which overwhelmingly favoured Labor electorates.
The government has refused to say whether ministers who were members or patrons of sporting clubs that received money made decisions about the spending.
Council rejects government cash
One of the councils to be offered community grant funding has knocked back the money for two projects, saying it told candidates at the March state election they were not planned.
The City of Onkaparinga has voted not to accept more than $400,000 from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport for public toilets at the Byards Road wetland in Reynella East and the Open Market Site in Christies Beach.
A report prepared for the council said there had been "limited requests" from the community for the wetland toilets, which "were not part" of the council's plans.
"Although we really appreciate the capital investment it would be up to our ratepayers to service that facility ongoing, plus the renewal costs down the road," Acting Mayor Simon McMahon told ABC News.
"And there is a public toilet in our community centre just 100 metres away."
Early investigations by the council found the promised $250,000 might not be enough to deliver the wetlands toilets, considering how far the proposed site was from water and sewer connections.
The council report also queried the need for toilets at the market site, which is in a suburb already considered "well serviced" with public toilets.
Mr McMahon said state election candidates were warned the promised toilets were "outside [council's] service level".
Health Minister Chris Picton was one of the two local Labor MPs who pledged money for the Christies Beach toilet block before the March state election.
"Clearly this council has lost touch with the people that it's seeking to represent," Mr Picton said.
"We will make sure that we utilise that funding for other ways outside of therefore working with the Onkaparinga council."
Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis denied council's rejection meant the project was unworthy.
"It doesn't mean that it's not justified. It's been tested through an election campaign, and we support it," he said.
In the north-eastern suburbs, the City of Tea Tree Gully accepted a $1.1 million grant offer to upgrade Jubilee Reserve at Wynn Vale, despite warning the unforeseen project may impact council resources and "potentially delay previously planned projects".
Is it pork barrelling?
Analysis by ABC News shows of the 56 Community Infrastructure projects funded to date, all bar three are in what are now Labor-held seats.
The electorate of Mawson, south of Adelaide secured the most money, with nine projects worth a combined $8.49 million.
Mawson was Labor's second most marginal seat prior to the March election, where veteran Labor MP Leon Bignell secured a major swing towards him.
Marginal and target seats were a focus of spending, with $17.75 million spent in nine electorates Labor either managed to flip or hold on March 19.
Mr Koutsantonis would not detail whether his department had conducted any independent process to assess the grants prior to offers being distributed to councils.
"The process was the election campaign," he said.
"Once the people of South Australia have had their say on an event or a piece of infrastructure, that is supreme. That is the ultimate word on whether taxpayers' money should be spent or not."
That perspective is not shared by the Grattan Institute.
The public policy think tank said election commitments should not be treated any differently to other grant schemes.
"Some election commitments can absolutely meet the definition of pork barrelling," the institute's Kate Griffiths said.
"It involves politicians choosing to fund specific projects in specific electorates for partisan purposes. So potentially for buying votes."
Ms Griffiths said open, competitive, and merit-based grant processes should be used to assess and determine recipients.
"They actually need to promise a pot of funds for a particular purpose but not predetermine who will get the money," she said.
"A process like that would provide both the transparency around how the grants are allocated and what's available to be applied for."
A Department for Infrastructure and Transport spokesperson said the remaining $28.3 million in the program would be distributed to projects this financial year.
See list of funding recipients under the Community Infrastructure Grant Program:
Project |
Amount (excluding GST) |
Paid to |
|---|---|---|
Roundabout, Howard Street/Rosetta Street, Collinswood |
$250,000 |
Council |
Upgrade to Aldridge Avenue Reserve, Plympton Park |
$200,000 |
Council |
Community vegie patch, Beare Avenue Reserve, Netle |
$3,000 |
Council |
Kurralta Park Community Kindergarten pedestrian crossing |
$1 million |
Council |
Coastal walkway toilet, Hallett Cove |
$180,000 |
Council |
Marino Community Hall upgrade |
$500,000 |
Council |
| Woodend Primary School wombat crossing | $90,000 |
Council |
Playground fencing, Almond Avenue, Woodville |
$25,000 |
Council |
Aberfoyle Park Community Centre |
$1.5 million |
Council |
Aberfoyle Hub Library |
$250,000 |
Council |
Link path, Minkarra Park to Happy Valley |
$1 million |
Council |
Local school traffic upgrades |
$65,000 |
Council |
Minkarra Park dog park, Flagstaff Hill |
$150,000 |
Council |
Parking and drainage upgrade, AA Bailey Reserve, Clarence Gardens |
$300,000 |
Council |
| CC Hood Reserve, Panorama playground upgrade | $1 million |
Council |
| Footpaths in Panorama and Pasadena | $500,000 |
Council |
Toilets, Maldon Avenue Reserve, Mitchell Park |
$120,000 |
Council |
| Pasadena Community Centre | $500,000 |
Council |
Rozelle Reserve, Melrose Park |
$150,000 |
Council |
St Marys Reserve upgrade playground and exercise equipment |
$520,000 |
Council |
Blakes Crossing Local Traffic Management Plan |
$400,000 |
Council |
Public toilet, California Reserve, Craigmore |
$250,000 |
Council |
RM Williams Drive Reserve playground, Gepps Cross |
$125,000 |
Council |
CCTV for Henderson Square, Pooraka |
$100,000 |
Council |
Irrigation upgrade for Pledger Wetlands, Mawson Lakes |
$100,000 |
Council |
Rains Drive Reserve, Pooraka |
$100,000 |
Council |
Upgrade to Ballara Park Reserve, Warradale |
$180,000 |
Council |
Toilet at Byards Road wetlands, Reynella East |
$250,000 |
Council |
Playground upgrade, Wilfred Taylor Reserve, Morphett Vale |
$100,000 |
Council |
Upgrade to Woodcroft Dog Park |
$500,000 |
Council |
All Saints Catholic Primary School emu crossing, Seaford |
$57,000 |
Council |
Beach Road amenities upgrades, Christies Beach |
$660,000 |
Council |
Seaford Lions new shed |
$15,000 |
Community group |
Seaford Rotary new shed |
$15,000 |
Community group |
South Port Primary School emu crossing |
$78,000 |
Council |
| Community artwork and murals Christies Beach and O'Sullivan Beach | $500,000 |
Council |
targeted building and structural upgrades, Fort Glanville, Semaphore Park |
$250,000 |
Community group |
Disability infrastructure at playground, Apex Park, Gawler |
$60,000 |
Council |
Playground upgrades, Bacton Street, Evanston and Gawler West |
$100,000 |
Council |
Shade for playground, Nolan Reserve, Munno Para |
$30,000 |
Council |
Pedestrian crossing, Redbanks Road and Weyland Road roundabout |
$760,000 |
Council |
New playground, Reid |
$600,000 |
Council |
Tambelin railway station car park, Evanston Gardens |
530,000 |
Council |
Aldinga to Willunga cycle way and shared path |
$3 million |
Council |
Cape Jervis Progress Association - disabled toilet facility, seating and shade at playground |
$75,000 |
Community group |
Upgrade hall and shade area, Maslin Beach Community Hall |
$50,000 |
Council |
Upgrade hall, McLaren Flat Community Club |
$50,000 |
Council |
McLaren Vale road safety project - City of Onkaparinga 21 intersection upgrades |
$4.2 million |
Council |
Disabled toilet facility, grease trap and general kitchen upgrades, Myponga Memorial Hall |
$50,000 |
Community group |
Kitchen and other parts of the hall, Second Valley Soldiers Memorial Hall |
$50,000 |
Council |
Tatachilla Lutheran College to McLaren Vale path |
$1 million |
Council |
Air-conditioning to show hall, Willunga Recreation Park |
$18,000 |
Community group |
Clovercrest Baptist Church, Modbury North |
$167,000 |
Community group |
Lighting at Yalumba Drive Reserve, Paralowie |
$150,000 |
Council |
Improvements to the Linear Park with shared paths and benches |
$4 million |
Council |
Upgrades at Wynn Vale Dam |
$1.1 million |
Council |
Total |
$27,973,000 |
