Pork-barrelling should be banned and grant process overhauled, report for Icac says

A report commissioned by the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption has called for pork-barrelling to be prohibited and instead grants should be made strictly on merit after assessments against clear criteria.

The report, by the University of Sydney constitutional law expert Prof Anne Twomey, says a major overhaul of the way government makes grants is needed to ensure they are awarded on merit and are no longer used for pork-barrelling in marginal seats.

She argues politicians would be free to advocate for projects in their electorates or to promise broad funding schemes but should not be permitted to promise funding for particular projects during elections.

Twomey will present her report at a forum organised by Icac on Friday.

State and federal governments have been wracked by scandals involving multimillion-dollar grant schemes, which had been directed by the responsible minister towards marginal seats just before elections.

The former premier Gladys Berejiklian was grilled during a recent public inquiry about two multimillion-dollar grants in the seat held by her then secret boyfriend, the Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

The inquiry heard evidence that Maguire had consistently lobbied for the grants over several years, and that they were ultimately signed off by Berejiklian despite concerns from within the public sector. Berejiklian has denied any wrongdoing.