The funding offers the first public evidence about the scale of the payments to Synergy 360 by one of its clients.
Former cabinet minister Stuart Robert met consulting firm Accenture to discuss a federal project worth $111 million after his close friend David Milo had been trying to help the firm win lucrative government contracts.
Special Minister of State Don Farrell said the government was “deeply concerned” by the reports about the former minister when asked in a Senate estimates hearing.
Anthony Albanese is seeking to turn the Fadden byelection,triggered by the resignation of Stuart Robert,into a campaign against the Coalition that reaches a broader audience.
Stuart Robert’s departure from politics does not prevent the NACC from looking into his conduct over the nine years of the former Coalition government.
Leaked emails show Stuart Robert actively seeking to help Synergy360 win work,but a key question remains – why was he so keen for the company to succeed?
Stuart Robert has sent his resignation to the speaker,triggering an upcoming byelection for his seat of Fadden.
The former cabinet minister will not return to Canberra to deliver a valedictory speech,with his formal resignation due in the next week or so,according to a close ally.
Stuart Robert is set to depart politics while the parliamentary committee probing his role in setting up a confidential briefing for tech giant Unisys continues its deliberations.
The Queensland MP,who was a confidant of former prime minister Scott Morrison,said he had “few regrets” during his time in parliament.
Politicians interfering with peer-reviewed science grants is a “widespread source of despair” and should be stamped out,a review has found.