ACT Liberal Senate candidate Nick Tyrrell is calling on Finance Minister Katy Gallagher to explain the allocation of a $560 million federal infrastructure grants program following criticism of its transparency.

Mr Tyrrell cited analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity, reported by the ABC, which he said found 73 per cent of funding under the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program went to Labor-held electorates, compared with 23 per cent to Coalition seats and 4 per cent elsewhere.

He said the program was invite-only, with no application process or published selection criteria, and questioned whether it met transparency standards Senator Gallagher outlined when announcing new Commonwealth Grants Rules in 2024.

At the time, Senator Gallagher said the government wanted to ensure “the process of awarding grants is open and transparent”.

“An invite-only fund with no application process and no published criteria is not open, and it is not transparent,” Mr Tyrrell said.

He said Senator Gallagher had been involved in announcing funding for Chisholm Oval under the program and called on her to explain why the standards outlined in 2024 had not been applied to the fund.

Mr Tyrrell also renewed his call for an independent audit of federal infrastructure spending in the ACT following the Integrity Commission’s Operation Kingfisher findings.

He wants the federal government to publish an electorate-by-electorate breakdown of the $560 million program.

Gallagher has told parliament the funding followed Commonwealth grants rules and was delivered through what she described as a closed, non-competitive process.

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