Liberal MP Luke Howarth ADMITS pork-barrelling in swiftly deleted Facebook comment

EXCLUSIVE: Rogue MP ADMITS pork-barrelling his seat in a Facebook post before his staffer swiftly deletes it – but here’s why he’s NOT sorry

  • Luke Howarth MP admitted to pork-barrelling his electorate in rogue FB post
  • Pork barrelling is the practice of handing out public funds for political benefit 
  • Mr Howarth has been advertising community funding programme with LNP logo 


A Liberal MP has brazenly admitted pork-barrelling in a Facebook comment which his media advisor swiftly deleted.

Luke Howarth, the MP for Petrie in Brisbane’s northern suburbs, said he has no regrets about the comment and isn’t sorry.

‘They shouldn’t have deleted it. I’ll never apologise for getting money for my electorate,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. 

Pork-barrelling is the practice of handing out taxpayer money for local projects because they will win votes rather than because they deserve the cash. 

Luke Howarth, the MP for Petrie in Brisbane’s northern suburbs, made this rogue comment on Facebook before deleting it

Mr Howarth (left with Scott Morrison in 2018) who is Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services, said he was not sorry about making the comment

Mr Howarth (left with Scott Morrison in 2018) who is Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services, said he was not sorry about making the comment

Mr Howarth made the rogue post last week after encouraging residents to apply for Government funding under the stronger communities grant programme.

The taxpayer-funded scheme provides $150,000 to each of the 151 federal electorates for community projects chosen by their local MP.

Mr Howarth has been advertising the scheme on his Facebook page with LNP branding even though the programme is not political and said it’s ‘perfectly OK to do that’.

He previously secured $4million for a new car park at Mango Hill train station from the Urban Congestion Fund. 

The Government has been accused of rorting the scheme after it emerged 77 per cent of car park projects went to Coalition-held seats.  

On Facebook last week one voter named Geoff Marshall accused Mr Howarth of ‘more pork-barrelling’. 

‘More pork-barrelling Luke. Must be close to an election,’ he wrote.

In a surprisingly frank response, the MP, who often replies to comments on his Facebook page, responded: ‘I pork barrel my electorate all the time, that’s my job to deliver as much as possible for our area. 

‘You will see me deliver more as well for local community groups and infrastructure.’

Asked if he regrets admitting to pork-barrelling so brazenly, Mr Howarth replied: ‘No I don’t regret the phrasing’. 

‘If you give me a smart a**e comment you get a smart a**e answer,’ he said. 

Mr Howarth, who is Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services, said Labor is just as guilty as the Coalition when it comes to pork-barrelling. 

Mr Howarth has been advertising the stronger communities programme on his Facebook page with LNP branding even though the programme is not political

Mr Howarth has been advertising the stronger communities programme on his Facebook page with LNP branding even though the programme is not political

It was Anthony Albanese who first proposed the $4million Mango Hill car park in July 2018, promoting the Government to match the offer.

‘The Labor party will be in my electorate and electorates all around the country announcing all sorts of funding commitments ahead of the Government,’ Mr Howarth said.

‘He has no integrity,’ he said of Mr Albanese.

‘You can’t come in and say the Government’s pork-barrelling. The Labor party do it all the time.’  

The Federal Government has faced several pork-barrelling scandals this term, including the so-called car-park rorts and sports rorts where sports facility grants were funnelled to marginal seats.

A total of 73 per cent of the projects approved were not recommended by Sport Australia.    

Mr Howarth (pictured) said Labor is just as guilty as the Coalition when it comes to pork-barrelling

Mr Howarth (pictured) said Labor is just as guilty as the Coalition when it comes to pork-barrelling

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