Acting National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Kylie Kilgour told a Senate inquiry on Thursday that it was “impossible” to express an opinion on whether corrupt conduct had occurred in the program, but that several aspects, including alterations to its constitutionality, had “piqued” her interest. She said the commission would not make a determination unless it conducted a thorough, proper investigation under the NACC Act.
Kilgour also expressed support for Haines, who was critically injured in a violent car attack on Monday and has had both legs amputated. Haines, the independent MP for the regional Victorian seat of Indi, was a vocal critic of the grant program and campaigned to establish the NACC. Kilgour became emotional reading the commission’s opening statement, describing Haines as “instrumental” in the NACC’s creation and saying she had sent a message of support to her office.
The inquiry is examining the $560.9 million Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program, under which nearly three-quarters of grants went to notionally Labor-held or competitive seats, according to analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity. The Marrickville Golf Club, in Albanese’s electorate of Grayndler, has been a focus: it had already received five federal grants totalling almost $58,000 before Albanese promised it $6 million during the 2025 election campaign.
Constitutional expert Anne Twomey, in a submission to the inquiry, called the program “grey corruption” and “the misuse of public money”. She wrote that politically directed grants were “not about being a good local member”. Concerns were raised that the original program design, released in September 2025, was constitutionally invalid because the Commonwealth cannot directly fund local sporting and community facilities. Guidelines republished on October 2, 2025, were changed so grants could flow through state or local governments under section 96 of the Constitution.
Kilgour said she had not yet heard evidence that would place the program under NACC jurisdiction and would defer to a potential investigation by the Australian National Audit Office.
The inquiry continues, with dozens of senators’ questions to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet deferred, including which ministers allocated grant funding, details of the Marrickville Golf Club funding, and the administration of the ministerial code of conduct regarding conflicts of interest.
Separately, Albanese faced questioning over a five-page background file distributed by his media office to federal political journalists in September, encouraging scrutiny of whether $1.8 billion worth of funding requests by Haines’ office represented value for money. The file suggested questions about Haines’ due diligence and potential conflicts of interest.
At the time, Haines responded: “The issue isn’t whether MPs advocate for their communities. Of course, we do. What I’m asking for is that all communities get a fair go.”
Asked on Wednesday whether he was aware of or ordered the file’s release, Albanese called Haines “a very strong advocate for her community”. On Thursday, he told ABC Sydney radio the document was “a list of funding asks … just showing that people of integrity stand up for their electorate. No personal criticism of Helen.”