Liberal-held electorates received three times more taxpayer money than Labor-held seats over a three year period spanning the last federal election. That’s the finding of an exclusive analysis by TheSydney Morning Herald and TheAge released today.

Two of our journalists examined an astounding 19,123 individual government grants to local communities totalling $2.8 billion in taxpayer money.

Their results reveal a highly politicised system rife with uneven spending, which experts have slammed as “soft bribery” and “a corruption of our democracy”.

Today on Please Explain, political reporter Katina Curtis and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright join Jess Irvine to discuss.

Liberal-held electorates received three times more taxpayer money than Labor-held seats over a three year period spanning the last federal election. That&rsquo;s the finding of an exclusive analysis by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age released today.
Two of our journalists examined an astounding 19,123 individual government grants to local communities totalling $2.8 billion in taxpayer money.
Their results reveal a highly politicised system rife with uneven spending, which experts have slammed as &ldquo;soft bribery&rdquo; and &ldquo;a corruption of our democracy&rdquo;.
Today on&nbsp;Please Explain, political reporter Katina Curtis and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright join Jess Irvine to discuss.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

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