Bridget McKenzie has denied knowledge of last-minute changes to grants to sporting clubs like North Wangaratta in the lead-up to last year's election.
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Sport Australia chief operating officer Luke McCann told Senate Estimates this week that nine grants were either added or altered to the list of approved applicants in the time between two emails sent by Senator McKenzie's office on April 11 last year at 8.46am and 12.43pm.
But in a statement on her website, Wodonga-based Senator McKenzie said she also only learned of these changes when they were revealed in Estimates.
"I did not make any changes or annotations to this brief or its attachments after 4 April 2019," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"My expectation was that the brief would be processed in a timely and appropriate manner.
"Nevertheless, changes were made and administrative errors occurred in processing the brief."
She resigned as sports minister because of a conflict in being a member of the Wangaratta Clay Target Club, but has continued to deny any wrongdoing of her handling of federal sports grants.
"I was the Minister for Sport and therefore ultimately and entirely responsible for funding decisions that were signed off under my name, including and regrettably, any changes that were made unbeknown to me," Senator McKenzie said.
"I make no apology for applying ministerial discretion to ensure fairness across funded projects.
"It is unfortunate to see a popular community program, which has delivered 684 projects, with 337 being delivered regionally, being undermined."
