Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed as a "smear" claims that a $6.05million federal grant to Marrickville Golf Club benefited him personally, after the Opposition raised the fact he owns an investment property just 200 metres from the club. The row erupted during a heated Question Time, with the Coalition accusing the government of pork-barrelling through its invitation-only Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program ahead of the 2025 election, adding pressure on Albanese over both his property holdings and an honorary club membership he had previously held.

Liberal frontbencher Angie Bell asked directly whether the grant, which funds clubhouse upgrades and sewerage improvements, had increased the value of Albanese's nearby Beauchamp Street property, bought in 2006 for $997,500 and now estimated at around $2.6million. Albanese rejected the imputation as false and revealed he had written to the club declining any honorary membership, offering instead to pay the standard $5 two-year membership fee. The controversy follows analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity showing 73.2 per cent ($409.1million) of the $560million infrastructure programme went to Labor-held seats, compared with 22.6 per cent for Coalition electorates.