A controversial $568 million community grants program, aimed at funding local infrastructure, has drawn increasing scrutiny after reports showed that nearly 90% of the funds awarded in its first five months went to areas represented by the federal Labor Party. The scheme, known as the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program (MLCIP), has become the focus of a Senate inquiry following a report by the Centre for Public Integrity, which highlighted that projects in electorates held by Labor MPs received significant funding. One notable example was a $6 million grant for a golf club in the electorate of Anthony Albanese, the current Prime Minister. Analysis by Guardian Australia revealed that the distribution of funds has been even more skewed in favor of Labor-held seats, with 92% of approved funding going to those areas. Victoria, a state where a state election is approaching, has received a disproportionate share of the funding compared to its overall allocation. The opposition has criticized the government, accusing it of using public funds to support state Labor counterparts and protect their political standing. Victoria, in particular, has seen a large portion of the grants allocated to seats held by state Labor MPs, some of whom are considered at risk of losing their positions in the upcoming state election. The largest grant awarded so far was $25 million for a new aquatic center in Bacchus Marsh, a federal and state Labor seat. Other notable projects include $7 million for Bendigo West, which is also a Labor seat under threat from the One Nation party. While the federal government has described the grants program as "sound" and claimed there are no conflicts of interest, the infrastructure minister, Catherine King, did not directly address questions about how projects were selected or whether their locations in Labor-held areas were considered. The Senate inquiry, initiated by the Greens with support from the Coalition and crossbench senators, aims to investigate the selection process, determine if any groups were excluded, and assess whether conflicts of interest were properly declared. Meanwhile, the Victorian state government, which is also facing its own election, has been advised to be cautious with its spending due to rising state debt and a tighter fiscal environment. The government has emphasized that it has no influence over the federal grants program, which is seen by some as an attempt to support state Labor’s electoral prospects.