One of the top-rated Canberra projects overlooked in the "sports rorts" scheme has now received funding, as the Morrison government faces pressure to belatedly back all worthy applications dudded in the controversial program.
The ACT government's bid for money to install lights at Bonner oval was knocked back under the community sports grants program, despite scoring above Sport Australia's benchmark for projects which deserved funding.
But the project has now received support under a separate federal grants program, through which the ACT government has been allocated $16.5 million for a raft of community infrastructure projects.
Labor MP Andrew Leigh, who used a speech in Parliament earlier this week to again condemn the federal government's handling of the sports grants program, welcomed news the overlooked project would be funded.
"If the Morrison government is reversing the rorts, that's a good thing," he said.
"But that doesn't change the fact that Bonner residents should've had their local oval floodlights funded two years ago. And if it wasn't for sports rorts, it would've happened."
The scathing audit report which last year broke open the scandal found then-Sport Minister Bridget McKenzie's office ran a parallel assessment process which saw the distribution of grants skewed toward marginal electorates.
The Bonner oval lights was one of four Canberra projects which were deemed worthy under Sport Australia's assessment criteria, but were overlooked for funding.
Applications for upgrades at Boomanulla Oval and at Braddon and Belconnen tennis clubs were also rejected, despite scoring above the 74-point benchmark.
The Labor-Greens dominated senate committee examining the program handed down its final report on Thursday, recommending that all projects which merited funding, but were overlooked, should now receive funding.
Labor's sports spokesman Don Farrell said the Morrison government could start the "job of restoring the faith of Australians in their government" by agreeing to fund the shafted projects in May's federal budget.
Belconnen Tennis Club president Martin Klein said he would accept a belated grant, but noted there wouldn't be a club in the country which wouldn't appreciate extra funds.
Mr Klein said the club had been forced to dip into its cash reserves to pay for the lighting upgrade after its sports grant application was knocked back.
He said the club had since received a $10,000 grant for landscaping and barbeque upgrades under a separate program. However, money was still needed to mend fences and fix drainage issues at the Macquarie-based club.
"You spend hours and hours and hours putting it [an application together], it's an awful lot of effort and there is expectation too," he said on Friday.
"To have that denied ... it wasn't fair."
Sports Minister Richard Colbeck was non-committal when asked if the government would consider funding the dudded projects, saying only that it would carefully examine the committee's recommendations and respond accordingly
Mr Colbeck again backed the $100 million program, which has seen funds allocated to more than 680 projects.
"This commitment has boosted so many grassroots sporting organisations and local communities across Australia," he said.
"Critically, if Labor and the Greens' position on the program's assessment and recommendations to the Minister had been adopted, then far fewer local sporting projects would have been funded."
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