The sports rorts saga and a ‘stench’ that clung to the Coalition

Senior correspondent Sarah Martin at home in Canberra. ‘I knew it was going to be bad,’ she says of the auditor general’s investigation of sports rorts. Photograph: Rohan Thomson/The Guardian

Pork barrelling has a long and inglorious history in Australian politics. Directing taxpayer money to projects that parties hope will win them votes – as opposed to sharing it fairly where it is most needed – has spawned scandals on both sides of the parliamentary divide.

So when, in the lead-up to the 2019 federal election, a Liberal candidate presented a $127,373 grant in the form of giant novelty cheque to a South Australian bowling club, the blowback was swift. Photos posted to Georgina Downer’s Facebook page showed the political hopeful for Mayo raising a glass of champagne with members of the Yankallila bowling club.