Independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston is pushing to ‘roast pork barreling’ by making ministerial grants in Tasmania subject to formal oversight for the first time.
Johnston has put forward a motion on grants integrity reform set to be debated on Wednesday.
The motion calls on the government to adopt the same grant rules used by the federal government in Canberra.
It would also require ministers to report any grants made against official advice to Treasury.
Treasury would then be required to report those decisions to Parliament.
The government would need to publish details of every grant worth more than $10,000.
“There is no binding policy governing how a minister decides to approve a grant,” Johnston said.
“My motion will change that.”
Johnston’s motion targets what she describes as pork barrelling and ad hoc discretionary handouts by ministers.
The Premier’s Discretionary Fund offers a window into how grants are currently handed out.
Publicly available disclosures show the fund has distributed well over $1 million since early 2021 across hundreds of one-off payments to sporting clubs, community groups and individuals.
Payments have ranged from as little as $100 to $10,000, covering everything from interstate travel costs to defibrillators, kitchen equipment, community events and shed installations.
From October to December 2025, the fund paid out $158,366 across dozens of recipients.
The Integrity Commission urged similar reform in 2022, while the Auditor-General made comparable recommendations as far back as 2011.
Despite those repeated calls, no binding framework has been put in place.
