Release: ATA sick of sporting rorts

Release: ATA sick of sporting rorts

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance, the nations’ largest grassroots advocacy group representing taxpayers, today condemned Health Minister Greg Hunt for jumping on the sports rorts bandwagon.

“I am sick and tired of writing about sports rorts,” said ATA Policy Director, Emilie Dye, “but I actually value my responsibility to the taxpayers. Please, just stop!”

“Every day, we hear another story about how our leaders are misusing our money. The news broke today: Greg Hunt secured $170,000 for a yacht club.

“When Australians give up their hard-earned money to the government they would like to think that money goes to our schools, our roads, taking care of the homeless, and protecting our country from hostile forces abroad, not to a ‘struggling’ yacht club.

“You would be hard-pressed to find an Australian who doesn’t know people with yacht club, country club, and golf course memberships have deep pockets. Politicians aren’t even pork-barrelling subtly when they give wealthy clubs in key electorates taxpayer money.

“Pollies like Greg Hunt, Bridgit Mckenzie, and ScoMo have attempted to excuse themselves from this obvious corruption by pointing out that these funds are bringing women’s facilities into exclusively male clubs, something these organisations should have done a while ago and on their own dime.”

“This money should be sent back to the communities. Locals, not federal politicians, know where a sports grant could have the biggest impact for good. The government is siphoning money from poor and regional areas through taxes to subsidise the lifestyle of the wealthy.”