Thank you ALL so much for signing AND sharing. We need MANY MORE to sign to have any influence over our Politicians!
The papers are now full of Bridget McKenzie and the 'Sports Rorts' and Bridget has certainly likely taken things a step too far even for THIS Government in giving a Grant to a Gun Club where she had personal connections and membership!
The Prime Minister has now referred Bridget for investigation over this and Bridget has 'gifted' him the bullets for her potential and likely political 'Sacrificial Lamb' demise - despite the fact that there is evidence of wrong-doing of MANY high-ranking Government politicians!
BUT the Auditor-General's Office has issues with ANY political involvement in the allocation of ANY Government grants to organisations (other than 'conventional' support that local members give to their communities like writing a letter of support to go with especially worthy submissions due to things such as socio-economic disadvantage) because of the potential for issues other than NEED to influence decisions made by Politicians
And they have MAJOR concerns with the idea of a Grants scheme by the Federal Government for sporting bodies - period!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-22/everything-we-know-about-sports-grants-so-far/11888620
But all this current controversy has over-shadowed that which I personally view as being even more troubling than these UNETHICAL Sports Grants - and that is the $200 MILLION Regional Jobs and Investment Packages Grants that were decided by a PANEL of MINISTERS with NO MINUTES taken of Panel meetings and NO employees of the Public Service PRESENT!
Public Service employees are BOUND by a Code of Integrity which we know our POLITICIANS are NOT!
While the audit didn't identify that there WAS major corruption as such - it is troubling that a Government would decide the possible future of COMMUNITIES using such a flawed UNETHICAL decision-making process.
The fact that Government Ministers got away with this complete breach of correct process - designed to STOP any rorting of Public funds because of tacit approval due to a weak Ministerial Code (remember the Prime Minister's AUTHORITY is ONLY as strong as his/her POLITICAL power & popularity among the Cabinet and back-bench) with NO PENALTY because Politicians don't have a Code of Ethics/Integrity they HAVE to abide by was a fore-runner to the situation we now have with the Sporting grants saga.
If Bridget McKenzie is FORCED to 'fall on her Sword' - this should NOT be the end of it.
Bridget's reprehensible behaviour is just a SYMPTOM of a completely UNETHICAL Government totally lacking in INTEGRITY
We don't want this to become the NORM in our great country - Australia!