Concerns about conflict of interest have forced the South Australian sports minister to delegate approving more than $8.5 million in grants to clubs.
Documents obtained by the state opposition through Freedom of Information show Katrine Hildyard had to ask for a dozen grants to be signed off by Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis.
The documents reveal the head of the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing wrote to Ms Hildyard on May 30, three days before the state budget was delivered.
Kylie Taylor warned her department had found 12 commitments where Ms Hildyard would have had a "potential or perceived" conflict of interest if she authorised the funding herself.
Opposition Leader David Speirs said the onus was on the minister to identify potential conflicts of interest, and the documents raise further questions about the processes used by the government.
"Did Katrine Hildyard declare a conflict of interest in the cabinet process?" Mr Speirs said.
"That is the most powerful decision-making body in this state.
"That's at the point when the decision to fund these organisations, with a quantum of over $8 million dollars was made."
Under South Australia's ministerial code of conduct, ministers must sign a form declaring their interest in any matters brought before cabinet.
The code prohibits ministers from participating in any deliberations on a matter "in respect of which a conflict of interest has validly been disclosed".
Ms Hildyard told parliament she had been questioned by the opposition "many, many times" before about the matter.
"Myself and all cabinet ministers follow the expectation that we adhere to all processes, all procedures (of) our code of conduct and we will continue to do so," she said.
The total value of the projects Ms Hildyard delegated is $8.6 million.
They are part of $133 million in grants funded in the budget to pay for local sport and community infrastructure promises Labor made ahead of the March state election.
The vast majority of the projects are in seats Labor either held or targeted ahead of the poll, and they have lead to accusations of pork barrelling.
Questions were first raised about potential conflicts of interest in June, when both Ms Hildyard and Treasurer Stephen Mullighan's parliamentary registers of interests list clubs which they have associations with that ended up receiving grants.
The Auditor-General Andrew Richardson has been denied access to cabinet documents relating to the scheme.
Mr Richardson found decisions about who would receive cash were made outside the usual government frameworks for such grant programs.
