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Pauline Hanson has accused the Albanese Government of funnelling hundreds of millions in multicultural grants to Labor-held seats, claiming it 'looks like the same old corruption'.
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it → see → corruption
The One Nation leader pointed to new analysis by her party claiming almost 90 per cent of multicultural grant funding awarded since the 2022 election has gone to seats held by Labor MPs.
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cent → point → MPs
On Sunday, Hanson called on the government to release documents relating to the grants, including assessments, ministerial briefs and funding decisions, saying taxpayers deserved greater transparency over how the money was distributed.
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money → call → transparency
Hanson’s critique drew on One Nation’s analysis of federal GrantConnect data covering multicultural grants administered through the Department of Home Affairs.
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critique → draw → Affairs
The value of multicultural grant funding rose from $5.87million in 2022-23 to $325.77million in 2025-26, according to the analysis.
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value → rise → analysis
It found Labor-held electorates received $340.35million of the $385.94million distributed across four years, representing 88.2 per cent of total funding.
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electorates → find → funding
In 2025-26 alone, it also found Labor-held electorates received 94 per cent of funding.
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electorates → find → funding
Hanson claimed 87.1 per cent of funding in 2025-26 was distributed through closed, non-competitive processes.
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cent → claim → processes
Pauline Hanson (pictured) called for the government’s multicultural grants to be publicly audited
'
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grants → call → ?
The figures are truly staggering,' Hanson said.
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Hanson → say → ?
'The value of new multicultural grant awards jumped from less than $6million in 2022-23 to more than $325million in 2025-26, roughly a 55-fold increase.
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value → jump → 2025
'Over 87 per cent of multicultural grants last year were awarded through a closed and non-competitive selection process, and 88 per cent of the money has gone to Labor seats since Anthony Albanese came to power.
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Albanese → award → power
'In the financial year following the last election, 94 per cent of the money went to Labor-held seats.
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cent → follow → seats
The electorates containing the highest-value grant recipients were all Labor-held, according to the party's analysis.
Macnamara in Melbourne topped the analysis with $55.06million, followed by Watson, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's electorate, with $46.05million, Melbourne with $27.86million and Parramatta in Sydney's west with $25.73million.
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Macnamara → contain → 25.73million
Combined, the four electorates alone accounted for more than $154million in multicultural grant funding, according to the data.
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electorates → combine → data
Tony Burke's (pictured) electorate received the second highest amount of $46million
Hanson singled out Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in her critique.
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Hanson → picture → critique
Hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds are being splashed on Labor seats through closed processes,' Hanson said.
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Hanson → splash → processes
One Nation also categorised grants by religious affiliation, claiming Muslim organisations received the largest share at $86.7million, followed by Jewish groups at $77.5million and Christian groups at $71million.
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organisations → categorise → 71million
The Jewish funding total included about $33million in support linked to Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue and Community Centre following a firebombing attack in 2024, including rebuilding and security funding.
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total → include → funding
Hanson said the support was justified but maintained it did not explain the broader distribution of grants.
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it → say → grants
'The rebuilding of the Adass Synagogue after an Iranian-sponsored terrorist firebombing is an exception that clearly deserves support.
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that → sponsor → support
But one justified grant doesn't explain potential rorts in the rest of the program,' she said.
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she → explain → program
She also raised concerns about funding provided to the Australian National Imams Council, which is based in Burke's electorate.
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which → raise → electorate
'An extraordinary amount of money has also been given to the controversial Australian National Imams Council, which is based in Tony Burke's electorate,' Hanson said.
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Hanson → give → electorate
$33million went to Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue after a firebombing attack (pictured)
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33million → go → attack
Hanson said grants should be awarded on community need, not political favour.
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grants → say → need
'Taxpayer money must be allocated on transparent criteria based on community need, not funnelled to buy votes,' she said.
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she → allocate → votes
'Anthony Albanese promised to do politics differently.
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Albanese → promise → politics
What his government is doing just looks like the same old corruption.'
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, a spokeswoman for Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly said the figures included election commitments, security measures along with community infrastructure programs designed to strengthen social cohesion.
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figures → do → cohesion
'The Albanese government proudly invests in communities right across Australia, including through urgent care clinics, roads, early childhood education centres and community facilities and festivals,' the spokeswoman said.
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spokeswoman → invest → clinics
'We make no apologies for investing in local communities and, if other political parties don’t want to back Australians, that’s up to them.
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that → make → them
We’re focused on building strong... communities.'
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We → focus → communities
The Daily Mail has approached Tony Burke for comment.
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Mail → approach → comment
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