QUESTIONS have been raised after a Wagga club was denied hundreds of thousands of dollars under the federal government's controversial sports grant scheme.
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South Wagga Apex Club has been entangled in the Bridget McKenzie sports rorts scandal when its $385,448 request to build a new bike track at Lake Albert was denied despite scoring highly in the assessment process.
A damning Auditor-General's report found a "distribution bias" in favour of marginal electorates in her office's handing of the $100 million Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program.
It was revealed South Wagga Apex Club was denied funding despite its application scoring 85 out of 100 under the Sport Australia's merit-based process.
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The projects were assessed based on community participation, 50 per cent, community need, 25 per cent, and project design and delivery, 25 per cent.
A score of 74 out of 100 was the cut-off for funding.
Labor councillor Dan Hayes said it was "disappointing" that one of the city's own community groups was "shafted" in this "absolutely outrageous" scandal.
"It is one thing to miss out because we are a safe seat, but it is another to have it taken from us to give to marginal seats and be treated so poorly," he said.
Cr Hayes said community groups want a fair shot, but this fallout will cause people to lose confidence in government grant programs.
"Often dozens of hours, if not more, go into these applications. Often these groups are applying multiple times under the guise that there will be a fair process," he said. "You'd be sitting there as a club thinking why are we even going to bother."
The proposed bike park gained the support of Wagga City Council back in November 2018, when $5000 was promised for landscaping once constructed.
The proposed plans at the time included a pump track with skill testing elements and would complement the existing recreational infrastructure within Apex Park while also providing a social gathering space for youth.
The South Wagga Apex Club was contacted, but declined to comment.
The Daily Advertiser reached out to Senator McKenzie's office and was directed the office of Senator Richard Colbeck, who is the current minister for youth and sport.
"All projects that received funding through the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant program were assessed as eligible to receive it by Sports Australia in accordance with the published guidelines as confirmed in the ANAO report," a department spokesperson said.