The Australian Open, State of Origin, the Ashes, rugby union Test – 2014 a very busy year for Nationals MP Warren Truss.
Latest The Nationals Stories
$5300 for Barnaby Joyce’s three NRL games
Barnaby Joyce charged taxpayers more than $5300 for attending three NRL games but said the trips were a legitimate part of the job. He also charged taxpayers $741 for a family member to join him at the NRL grand final.
Deputy PM’s $21,000 flight to give speech on belt-tightening
Taxpayers paid $21,500 for a chartered flight for the deputy PM Warren Truss to fly to Brisbane just after the controversial 2014 federal budget to give a speech explaining the virtues of reducing expenditure.
Coalition MPs’ ‘study allowances’ pay for trip home from Indian wedding
Three Coalition MPs claimed more than $12,000 in “overseas study” allowances to pay for flights home after attending the wedding in Hyderabad of the granddaughter of Gina Rinehart’s business partner.
Bridget McKenzie’s $2,200 Sydney awards night jaunt
The then Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie charged taxpayers $2200 to attend an awards night for shooting in Sydney, claiming the trip as “electorate business” even though she was a Victorian backbencher, before changing tack.
Peter McGauran
Former Nationals Minister Peter McGauran was elected to the House of Representatives for Gippsland, Victoria in 1983, retiring from government in 2008. In his post-political career, McGauran has worked in several lobbyist positions including his appointment as CEO for Racing Australia from 2012 to 2016.
Regional Growth Fund follows sport rorts playbook
Of the $248 million in Regional Growth Fund grants awarded just ahead of the 2019 election, Coalition seats snagged $234 million.
Barnaby Joyce’s decision to move pesticides regulator a huge financial risk
Barnaby Joyce pushed for the move of the regulator when he was up against popular independent MP Tony Windsor, against the wishes of all the major stakeholders.
Bridget McKenzie bills public for $20k private jet to ice-hockey game
First it was a $14,000 private jet to watch a Commonwealth Games basketball game to sit with Prince Charles; a month later it was a $20,000 jet to watch the Mustangs ice hockey team in Melbourne.
Barnaby Joyce’s debateable use of VIP jet for election bid
Barnaby Joyce spent more than $18,000 of taxpayer funds travelling to Armidale and Tamworth when he was trying to win the lower house seat of New England.
Fiona Nash and the food health ratings website
Then assistant health minister and her chief of staff pulled a food health star rating website. Her chief of staff was previously chair of, and still held shares in, APA, a lobbyist for the Australian Beverages Council and Mondelez Australia.
McCormack breaches lobbying code to award $2.6m airport grant
Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack struck a pre-election deal with an unregistered political lobbyist and former Howard Government adviser for a $2.6 million airport upgrade ahead of the launch of the Regional Airports Program.
Troy Grant
Former Minister for Hospitality, Gaming and Racing and heavy donor recipient from Tabcorp and other racing lobbyists, Troy Grant now serves as Chairman of the Integrity Assurance Committee for RacingNSW.
The $80m water deal that has provided no water
The $80 million deal, signed off by by then-agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, had been rejected twice and involved a company that Angus Taylor was once a director of.
George Souris
George Souris is a former member of the NSW Parliament, representing Upper Hunter for The Nationals. During his time with the Nationals he received a total of $13,000 in donations from The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and was instrumental in signing the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding with ClubsNSW which afforded the lobbyist organisation several benefits including a $300 million tax break. Souris is now Director on the board of RacingNSW, appointed in December 2017.
Michael McCormack and wife flew on a government jet to attend Melbourne Cup
Deputy PM Michael McCormack and his wife flew to Melbourne on a VIP government jet before the 2019 Melbourne Cup and justified the trip by reannouncing a three-year-old funding pledge for a sports facility.
80% of fund for female sports goes to Coalition seats
On the eve of the 2019 election, the Prime Minister announced a $150m fund for female change rooms and swimming pools. Two marginal Liberal-held seats received 40% ($60m) of the funding.
Indigenous affairs funding diverted to lobby groups opposed to native title
Nigel Scullion used $150,000 of money for alleviating Indigenous disadvantage to fund a fishing industry lobby group so it could argue how it would be negatively affected by native title land claims.
Sports rorts – the affair that just keeps on giving
In January 2020, the Commonwealth Auditor-General found that Bridget McKenzie’s office made up its own rules for doling out $100 million of sports grants leading up to the 2019 federal election in a process that was possibly illegal.
Jobs scheme targeted marginal electorate, ignored recommendations
The Regional Jobs and Investment Packages was a $220 million Coalition promise rolled out after the 2016 election but conflicts of interest were not managed properly, according to the Auditor General.
Drought envoy Barnaby Joyce’s ‘three weeks on the ground’
The MP claimed $675,000 in expenses for the nine months in the role and was allocated two staff members to conduct his work at a cost of an estimated $200,000.
Regional infrastructure grants program targets Coalition seats
The program, administered by Deputy PM Michael McCormack, awarded 94% of its grants to electorates held or targeted by the Coalition in the months leading up to the 2019 federal election.
Barnaby Joyce
Former Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader Barnaby Joyce has been an enthusiastic promoter of coal for many years.
Mark Vaile
Current Positions Deputy Prime Minister (Jul 2005-Dec 2007) Federal Minister for Trade & Investment (Jul 1999-Sep 2006) Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry...
Larry Anthony
Current Positions Federal Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (2001-2004) Federal Minister for Community Services (1999-2001) Previous Positions Federal MP for Richmond, NSW...
John Anderson
Current Positions Deputy Prime Minister (Jul 1999-Jul 2005) Federal Minister for Transport & Regional Development (Oct 1998-Jul 2005) Federal Minister for Primary Industries &...
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