Public service boss Phil Gaetjens says it was not within his purview to consider whether minister had the legal power to hand out $100m in grantsThe head of the Australian public service has said his inquiry into Bridget McKenzie did not consider if the former sports minister had legal authority to give $100m of grants. Gaetjens’ report found McKenzie had breached ministerial standards only through failure to declare membership of two clubs, including one that received a grant, which he labelled an “actual conflict of interest”. Gaetjens told the Senate inquiry that he had noted the program guidelines specified that the sports minister was the final decision maker but he had not formed a view on whether McKenzie had legal authority. When pressed, Gaetjens argued the ANAO’s conclusion that the legal authority was “not evident” did not amount to concluding there was none. Nor did Gaetjens consider emails exchanged between McKenzie’s office and the prime minister’s office, because McKenzie’s conduct had been the “object of the inquiry”, he said.

Source: The Guardian July 22, 2020 03:45 UTC