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ABC News
ABC News
National
Exclusive by state political reporter Rory McClaren

South Australian government defends funding given to community projects in almost exclusively Labor seats

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

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