Australia’s conservative government used a A$100 million ($69 million) sport development fund to target votes in marginal electorates ahead of an election last year, the country’s independent auditor of public spending has concluded. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison secured re-election in May 2019, defying polls that had indicated voters would punish the conservative government for the backbench revolt that ousted former leader Malcolm Turnbull in 2018. Looking to regain lost support in the run-up to the election, Morrison’s government promised increased spending on local sport, but the Australian National Audit Office said late on Tuesday that then Minister for Sport Bridget McKenzie used the public funds to win favour with voters. The report said 400 projects received funding. The Australian National Audit Office said more than 70% of those that received funding had done so without any endorsement by the governing body for sport in Australia.