Bridget McKenzie

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In January 2020, McKenzie was widely accused of pork-barrelling [30] [31] [32] [33] after the release of a report by the Commonwealth auditor-general which found that a $100 million sports grant program she oversaw in the lead-up to the 2019 Australian federal election was administered in a way that "was not informed by an appropriate assessment process and sound advice". The auditor-general's report noted that it was not clear what the legal authority for the particular allocation of grants was. [34]

A disproportionately high percentage of funds were allocated to sporting clubs in marginal Coalition electorates. One Adelaide rugby union club was awarded a $500,000 grant under the scheme for new female change rooms, despite not fielding a women's team since 2018 when it was embroiled in a sexism controversy. The club, located in the marginal Coalition-held seat of Sturt, was awarded the scheme's maximum available grant just weeks before the election. [35] A football club in the marginally held Coalition seat of Brisbane was given $150,000 for a project that had already been funded. [36] More than $1 million in grants were allocated to sports clubs with links to clubs Coalition MPs as members or patrons: three linked to Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt, one tied to treasurer and deputy Liberal leader Josh Frydenberg, and two associated with senator Sarah Henderson. [37] Nationals leader Michael McCormack's son's football club in the NSW Riverina also received a $147,000 grant under the program. In some cases, the funds were presented as oversized novelty cheques by the Liberal candidate for the seat in question, rather than by the sitting member. [38]

In a submission to a Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants, [39] McKenzie stood by her Ministerial discretion which "saw grants distributed more evenly by state, region, sport, organisation type and funding stream than if the recommendations of Sport Australia or the methodology seemingly favoured by the Auditor-General were adopted". [40]

Calls for resignation

The Opposition called for McKenzie to resign from the federal ministry because of the bias in the funding allocated. She maintained that "no project that received funding was not eligible to receive it" and that "no rules were broken in this program". [41] The Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese stated that what McKenzie had done "fails every test" and she must be sacked. [42]

In 1993, Ros Kelly, the Labor Sports Minister in the Keating government resigned under almost identical circumstances in what came to be known as the Sports Rorts affair.

More than 70 per cent of Australian Financial Review readers who participated in an online poll said that McKenzie should resign over the scandal. [43]

Government response

The government steadfastly supported McKenzie throughout the scandal. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, [44] Michael McCormack, [45] Peter Dutton [46] [47] [48] [49] and other high-profile Coalition ministers repeatedly spoke out in her defence. [50]

Following the revelation that McKenzie awarded a $36,000 grant to a regional Victorian shooting club without declaring that she was a member, on 22 January 2020 Morrison referred the matter to the Commonwealth Auditor-General and the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for advice in relation to the conduct of ministerial standards. [51] On 29 January, Morrison attempted to distance himself from the scandal after being asked questions at a National Press Club meeting. Morrison was asked why his office had approved an extra $42.5 million for the sports grants scheme in March 2019, but did not explain. [52]

The report by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet determined that McKenzie had breached the ministerial code of conduct and, on 2 February, she tendered her resignation as Minister for Agriculture and Deputy Leader of her party. [53] [54] She remained as leader of the Nationals in the Senate, along with Matt Canavan as deputy, as the other 3 Nationals senators were first-termers. [55] [56]

Return to Cabinet

Following a Nationals leadership spill in July 2021, in which Barnaby Joyce replaced Michael McCormack as party leader and Deputy Prime Minister, McKenzie was returned to Cabinet, and appointed as Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience and Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education. [57] She remained in these ministerial positions until the Coalition lost the 2022 federal election in May 2022.

In Opposition

McKenzie was appointed Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development in the Peter Dutton-led Coalition Opposition. [58] In addition, McKenzie serves on the Appropriations, Staffing and Security Senate Standing Committee, and the Procedure Senate Standing Committee. [58] In an interview with ABC reporter Annabel Crabb, McKenzie specifically identified Prime Minister Morrison’s treatment of Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate as a pivotal moment in the former Coalition Government’s election loss. [59] In McKenzie’s view, the pressure Morrison applied to Holgate to induce her to step down in the wake of critical media reports fatally damaged the perception of the Coalition amongst professional and, even, conservative women. McKenzie has been actively working to repair this relationship as part of a strategy to return the Coalition to power at the next federal election. [60]

Qantas Inquiry

McKenzie became Chair of the Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements (popularly referred to as the Qantas Inquiry) on 5 September 2023. [61] The Senate established this inquiry in the wake of Labor Transport Minister Catherine King’s decision to decline Qatar Airways’ request for additional capacity into Australia. This decision prompted significant consternation in sections of the Australian electorate [62] [63] [64] due to elevated airfare prices, [65] [66] particularly on the high demand Europe route, [67] in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts specifically attributed the increase in airfares to “an imbalance between demand and supply,” [65] which could have been partially meliorated by the increase in capacity proposed by Qatar Airways. [67]

Other controversies

In 2017, McKenzie was accused of using parliamentary travel entitlements for personal benefit. The accusations centered on a weekend trip to the Gold Coast that McKenzie took in September 2014. [68] Also questioned was a February 2017 trip to Sydney to speak at a Shooting Australia awards ceremony, which was claimed as "electorate business"; media reports suggested that it did not fall under the usual category of parliamentary business, and the city of Sydney is not located in the state of Victoria which Bridget represents. [69]

McKenzie's electorate office was in the regional city of Bendigo, and she was described in media headlines[ by whom? ] as "Bendigo-based" on a number of occasions. [70] [71] In 2018, after maintaining the office in Bendigo as "a National Party campaign office" for some months following her ascension to Cabinet, McKenzie relocated her electorate office to Wodonga, some 250 km away in the federal electorate of Indi, which led to media rumours she would contest the seat, [72] at the 2019 federal election. Although the move rankled Indi-based Liberal Party members, McKenzie had planned to relocate to North East Victoria for many years and was waiting for Department of Finance approval. [73] McKenzie is the only Victorian Senator based outside Melbourne and the Electorate office relocation also incorporated the inclusion of a Ministerial office. [74] The move cost taxpayers more than $500,000. [75] In 2016 it was noted that her primary residence was a flat in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Elwood, and she stayed in hotels when she visited Bendigo. [76]

Personal life

McKenzie has four children from her marriage to Tim Edwards, a police officer. The marriage ended in divorce. [77] She was subsequently in a long-distance relationship with David Bennett, a member of the New Zealand Parliament. Both were members of their respective countries' National Parties. [78] [79] In January 2021, it was reported that McKenzie was in a relationship with Simon Benson, the national affairs editor for News Corp Australia. [80]

In 2020, McKenzie published a biography of Country Party leader John McEwen through Connor Court Publishing. It was launched by journalist Paul Kelly, who described it as "highly readable", [81] while historian Ross Fitzgerald reviewed it as "a helpful reintroduction to John McEwen", but "somewhat of a hagiography" and less complete than a previous full-length biography. [82]

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 "Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 3 November 2021.
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  4. ↑ "Senate Results - Victoria - 2010 Federal Election". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  5. ↑ Gun-loving senator Bridget McKenzie elected Barnaby Joyce's new deputy, Sydney Morning Herald , 8 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Turnbull, Malcolm (19 December 2017). "Ministerial Arrangements" (Press release). Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018. Deputy Nationals Leader Bridget McKenzie joins Cabinet as Minister for Sport, Rural Health and Regional Communications. Bridget has long campaigned for better services for regional communities.
  7. ↑ "Bridget McKenzie Australia's first female Agriculture Minister". Farm Online. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  8. ↑ Meet Bridget McKenzie, the Turnbull government senator out to change your mind about guns, Sydney Morning Herald , 26 October 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  9. ↑ McKenzie against same sex marriage, supports conscience vote, Bendigo Advertiser , 10 June 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Q&A recap: Coalition senator Bridget McKenzie confronted by gay brother over plebiscite, The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 September 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  11. ↑ Brother of Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie hits out against sister's comments on same-sex marriage, ABC News, 13 June 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
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  26. ↑ Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. "Regional Deals". Infrastructure and Regional Development. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  27. ↑ "Albury-Wodonga regional deal pilot to help address 'cross-border' issues". The Border Mail. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  28. ↑ Johnston, David (19 June 2020). "Regional deal support done deal at long last". The Border Mail. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  29. 1 2 "National Press Club Address, The Cube Wodonga". Senator Bridget McKenzie. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  30. ↑ Speers, David (16 January 2020). "Bridget McKenzie's sport grant cash splash is a particularly brazen example of pork-barrelling". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  31. ↑ Wray, Michael (15 January 2020). "National Audit Office found 60 per cent of grants failed to meet minimum requirements". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  32. ↑ Burke, Kelly (16 January 2020). "Morrison government accused of pork barrelling over $100m 'sports rorts' scandal". 7 News. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  33. ↑ "Pork barrelling comes at a cost". The Australian. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  34. ↑ Speers, David (16 January 2020). "Bridget McKenzie's sport grant cash splash is a particularly brazen example of pork-barrelling". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  35. ↑ Martin, Sarah (24 January 2020). "Sports grants: rugby club gets $500,00 for female change rooms but has no women's team". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  36. ↑ Karp, Paul; Remeikis, Amy (28 January 2020). "Sports grants: Brisbane football club given $150,000 for project that was already funded". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  37. ↑ Karp, Paul; Knaus, Christopher (22 January 2020). "Sport grants: more than $1m given to nine clubs linked to Coalition MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  38. ↑ Burgess, Katie; Lawson, Kirsten (17 January 2020). "Pressure grows on Bridget McKenzie over sports grants as more footage appears of candidates offering giant cheques". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  39. ↑ submission
  40. ↑ McKenzie, Bridget (29 April 2020). "Statement to the Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants" (PDF). Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  41. ↑ Norman, Jane; Worthington, Brett (16 January 2020). "Bridget McKenzie facing calls to quit after auditors condemn 'biased' sports cash splash". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  42. ↑ Harris, Rob (21 January 2020). "'It fails every test': Albanese says PM must sack Bridget McKenzie". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  43. ↑ Seo, Bo (27 January 2020). "AFR readers say Bridget McKenzie has to go". Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 27 January 2020.
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  49. ↑ "McKenzie resignation no embarrassment, insists Dutton". 9now.nine.com.au.
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  54. ↑ "Bridget McKenzie quits frontbench over report she breached ministerial standards". ABC News . Australia. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
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  61. ↑ Parliament of Australia (27 October 2023). "Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements".
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  71. ↑ "Bridget McKenzie named new National Party deputy leader". The Courier. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
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  73. ↑ Johnston, David (24 October 2018). "Senior Liberal fumes over Bridget McKenzie's office move". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  74. ↑ Johnston, David (4 July 2019). "McKenzie bills taxpayers $530,000 for new office". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  75. ↑ Johnston, David (4 July 2019). "McKenzie bills taxpayers $530,000 for new office". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  76. ↑ "Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie responds to criticism she lives in the inner-city". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 October 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  77. ↑ "Meet Bridget McKenzie, the Turnbull government senator out to change your mind about guns". Sydney Morning Herald . 26 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  78. ↑ "Trans-Tasman relations: Long-distance love for Hamilton East MP David Bennett, who confirms he is in a relationship with Australian senator". NZ Herald. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  79. ↑ Bridget McKenzie: New Zealand enchants another National, The Australian , 2017-12-09. Retrieved 2017-12-19
  80. ↑ Hutchinson, Samantha; Brook, Stephen (20 January 2021). "Unmasked: McKenzie's shopping trip to remember with new partner". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  81. ↑ "McKenzie pens book on McEwen". South Gippsland Sentinel-Times. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  82. ↑ Fitzgerald, Ross (30 December 2020). "Rewarding, if reducted, portrait of a political titan". The Australian. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
Senator The Honourable
Bridget McKenzie
Bridget McKenzie 2019.jpg
McKenzie in 2019
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience
In office
2 July 2021 –23 May 2022
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience
2021–2022		Succeeded byas Minister for Emergency Management
Preceded byas Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Minister for Agriculture
2019–2020		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government
2018–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Sport
2017–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Rural Health
2017–2018		Succeeded byas Minister for Health
Preceded by Minister for Regional Communications
2017–2018		Succeeded byas Minister for Communications and the Arts
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia
2017–2020		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the National Party of Australia in the Senate
2017–present		Incumbent
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