Review of NSW Labor’s controversial $37m election fund urges rapid overhaul of grant guidelines

<p>Auditor general’s report on LSCA scheme calls for new rules to deal with election promises that later lead to government funding</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/jun/26/defence-spending-nsw-queensland-parliament-banks-predict-rate-cuts-in-july-ntwnfb">Australia news live: latest politics updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>A controversial $37m New South Wales grants program which began as a 2023 election slush fund available to Labor candidates and members to offer to local community groups has revealed weaknesses in the state’s grants making guidelines.</p><p>The NSW auditor general, Bola Oyetunji, found that he was unable to review how Labor had administered the Local Small Commitments Allocation (LSCA) grants prior to winning government.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/26/nsw-labor-election-fund-auditor-general-review-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>