Stuart Robert has failed to declare ongoing links to a Gold Coast bowls club that he previously handed a $9,725 novelty cheque to in the lead-up to the election.
The NDIS and government services minister filmed himself handing over the giant cheque to the Paradise Point bowls club in his electorate of Fadden in February and distributed the video on social media.
The money was awarded for new maintenance equipment through the Stronger Communities program, a scheme that gives local MPs some influence over the process.
Robert has formal links to the Paradise Point men’s bowls club. He is its honorary patron and held the position at the time the government deliberated on the grant and awarded it.
At the time the grant was awarded, Robert had properly and appropriately declared his patronage of the club to parliament.
But he has failed to disclose his ongoing patronage since at least July last year.
Robert promised to update the register after questions from the Guardian, saying he had “now updated the honorary patronage” on his register of interests.
A spokesman said Robert had disclosed his links properly as required at the time the “grant was independently assessed and recommended by a community committee”. The Guardian is not suggesting otherwise.
The spokesman also denied suggestions of a conflict between Robert’s role as club patron, his handing over of the $9,725 novelty cheque, and the role the Stronger Communities program gives him in inviting eligible organisations within his electorate to apply.
The spokesman said Robert had invited all community organisations in his electorate to apply for a Stronger Communities grant but had no role in assessing applications.
He said he simply acted on the recommendations of an independent community committee that conducted the assessments.
Robert did, however, confirm he had established that committee.
“As per the program guidelines, Mr Robert established an independent community committee of Fadden community representatives who assess and make recommendations for grants under the program,” the spokesman said.
“Mr Robert is not involved in the assessment process and acts on recommendations of the independent community committee.”
The spokesman said committee members adhered to conflict of interest guidelines and recused themselves when necessary.
He also sought to distinguish Robert’s role as patron of the Paradise Point men’s bowls club and the grant application by a separate entity, the Paradise Point bowls club, for which he “does not have a financial or honorary membership”.
It is not the first time Robert has courted controversy for failing to declare interests to parliament.
In October last year he got into strife after he failed to declare his interest in a bodybuilding supplements business for four months.
The Stronger Communities grant program works by giving each of the 151 federal electorates $150,000 to fund small capital projects worth up to $20,000.
Applicants must be invited to apply by their local MP. All others are shut out of the process.
The local MP also establishes the committee that then considers the applications.
Recommendations are then made to the department about who should receive money. Guidelines urge both applicants and MPs to take steps to declare and avoid conflicts of interest, including any “professional, commercial or personal relationship with a party who is able to influence the application selection process”.
The Paradise Point bowls club did not respond to an email request for comment.
