What to do if you think a government decision is incorrect

If the exposé about the government's use of $100m of Commonwealth sporting grants to sandbag marginal seats demonstrates one thing, it is that we should not always assume that a government decision is correct, simply because it has been made with all the power and resources of the government behind it.

Not all improper decision making is so politically scandalous. But many 'decisions' are made, affecting public and commercial interests, which may be challenged as not being 'decisions' at all. The sporting grant decision making shows how.

The decisions

Sports Australia was established by a Commonwealth law to hand out sporting grants. It is deliberately independent of the regular organs of government but unlike a private company can only act in accordance with the Cth law which expressly created it.