Opposition leader Angus Taylor has labelled Anthony Albanese a “serial liar” for not coming clean over his golf club sewage claim.
The Prime Minister made a rare concession in Question Time on Tuesday that he incorrectly claimed that a $6 million grant awarded to the Marrickville Golf Club in his electorate was to prevent effluent flowing into a nearby river.
“The problem with this Prime Minister is he digs in, he denies and he refuses to come clean with the Australian people,” the Liberal leader said on Thursday.
“Just come clean, Prime Minister, for once, be honest with the Australian people.
“Time and time again you’ve been shown to be a serial liar.”
Coalition frontbenchers sought to table documents in Question Time on Wednesday, showing the Prime Minister hadn’t mentioned sewerage issues at the club prior to the grant being awarded, but were rejected by the Speaker.
“Now there is not one skerrick of evidence, not one microscopic piece of evidence that this grant had anything to do with sewerage and yet, he claimed from the beginning, that it did,” Mr Taylor said.
The grant first hit headlines last month after a Centre for Public Integrity investigation found the $560 million program it was funded through was invitation-only and heavily favoured safe Labor seats and marginal contests the party hoped to win.
Days later, it was revealed that the Prime Minister had not included his honorary membership of the club on his register of interests, claiming he was unaware he was a member.
Mr Albanese defended his approach in Parliament on Wednesday under pressure from multiple Coalition members.
“I’ve said that part of the original commitment of the upgrade of Marrickville Golf Club was going to fix the long-running sewerage issue that was to be part of renovations,” he said.
“That isn’t the case, because the state government have stepped in and announced funding in September 2025. That’s a good thing.
“I don’t know what went on in their tactics room, but it is hard to take an alternative government seriously when the sort of questions that are asked go to a golf club.
“When it’s called ‘Royal Marrickville Golf Club’, it’s ironic because it’s actually this working class club.
“Sledges across the chamber, rather than serious questions about the economy.”
But the issue had also placed pressure on his team, with Ministers Catherine King, Tanya Plibersek, Murray Watt and assistant minister Patrick Gorman all having to do damage control on Mr Albanese’s behalf on Wednesday.
Liberal Senator James Paterson also said Anthony Albanese should have corrected record on his claim about “raw sewage” in the golf club grant saga “at (the) earliest opportunity”.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday admitted he incorrectly claimed that a $6m grant awarded to the Marrickville Golf Club in his electorate was to prevent effluent flowing into a nearby river.
“Whenever you make a false statement, as soon as you become aware of it, you are obliged to go at the earliest opportunity to correct the record. He did not do so,” Senator Paterson told News24 on Thursday.
“In years gone by, this would have cost a minister their job. Under Albanese’s government, there are no standards at all.”
