Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has admitted he was wrong when he told Parliament a $6million federal grant to Marrickville Golf Club would be used to address sewerage issues.
In September, Albanese told Parliament the funding would support ‘an environmental project stopping raw sewage going into the Cooks River during flooding’.
He later doubled down, saying the golf club had operated for almost 100 years and relied on a septic tank because it was located on a floodplain.
‘When it floods in Marrickville, raw sewage flows into the Cooks River. That is what the funding is for,’ he said.
But on Monday, Infrastructure Department officials stated several times during a tense Senate Estimates hearing that fixing sewerage problems at the golf club in the Prime Minister’s inner-Sydney electorate was not part of the grant agreement.
Albanese then conceded during Question Time on Tuesday that his sewerage claim was a mistake.
‘That was not correct. The state government [has] moved in and [is] funding the project,’ he said.
The Opposition pressed the Prime Minister over the grant, with shadow minister Dan Tehan accusing him of misleading Parliament and calling on him to correct the record.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) said he was ‘not correct’ about comments he made regarding the $6million federal grant to Marrickville Golf Club
Albanese also said responsibility for the project lay with the Infrastructure Department and noted the final design was still being developed.
But he explained the NSW Government had separately committed funding in September 2025 to address sewerage infrastructure at the golf club.
‘I’m advised that the club, of course, has a long history,’ he said on Tuesday.
‘And indeed, in the media release announcing the project, it spoke about the venue’s last major remodel being in 1947. So this is a local club, owned by the council.
‘The funding was going to be for sewerage. The New South Wales government has stepped in, which is appropriate given that New South Wales runs water and sewerage.’
The project is expected to include clubhouse upgrades, stormwater harvesting infrastructure, a new toilet, and landscaping works.
Albanese has a long-standing association with the club, where he holds honorary social membership.
He has repeatedly rejected suggestions he played any role in securing the funding, noting that another minister approved the grant.
The $6million grant for the Marrickville Golf Club (pictured) did not include sewerage works
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Most of the $6million funding has been set aside for a major redevelopment of the club’s facilities, including upgrades to the clubhouse, a new bar, updated furnishings, and a redesigned pro shop.
Some ministers have defended Albanese, saying it was an honest misunderstanding of the grant.
‘I think that was part of the original plan, but as often happens, the scope can change as these sorts of announcements develop,’ Assistant Minister for Regional Development Anthony Chisholm told Senate Estimates on Monday.
The hearing also revealed the department had not approached Infrastructure Minister Catherine King’s office to clarify the difference between stormwater and sewerage works, despite the public errors made by Albanese and other Labor figures, including King during an interview on News24 on Sunday.
