A-League clubs slammed over taxpayer-funded $14.5m Football in Schools scheme

An external audit of the state government’s controversial $14.5 million Football in Schools program has found the Macarthur Bulls A-League franchise overstated staff office costs by $87,000 and charged taxpayers for IT, printing and insurance without clear justification.

The probe by public accounting firm Grant Thornton also found the Western Sydney Wanderers – a neighbouring club that received $6.5 million over four years – was non-compliant with parts of the funding agreement, including being unable to validate attendance at football camps.

The Football in Schools scheme came under fire after an investigation by the Herald highlighted issues, including that Macarthur FC, based in Sydney’s south-west, claimed nearly 43 per cent of the $2 million yearly funding to underwrite head office costs.

Tens of thousands of dollars in donations to south-west Sydney Labor MPs came from companies or organisations Macarthur FC chairman Gino Marra either directed or served on the board of, while other donations came from companies linked to the Bulls. Those contributions opened the door for lunches with Premier Chris Minns and Sports Minister Steve Kamper.

Documents obtained through a parliamentary call for papers show both Macarthur FC and the Wanderers failed to comply with multiple parts of their respective funding deeds.

The Department of Education appointed Grant Thornton to audit the clubs’ claims in 2025; the probe was completed in December and cost at least $40,700.

The audit found several instances where expenses reported by Macarthur FC were “not fully aligned with the requirements of the Funding Deed”, according to a summary of the findings.

These included staff salary allocations exceeding the percentages determined in the funding deed, and the cost for items such as insurance, resources and printing, IT, digital and media being “apportioned without clear justification or supporting rationale”.

In the 2023-24 financial year, the club claimed $82,401 for insurance, $87,199.35 for “IT, Digital and Media”, $112,151.27 for “resources and printing” and $159,968.27 for “other expenses”.

Supporting documentation was missing for several sampled transactions, Grant Thornton found, “making it difficult to verify the accuracy and appropriateness of reported expenses”. The club overstated office staff costs by $87,018, which was attributed to an “Excel error”.

Vehicle costs had been categorised under “wages”, with the misclassification inflating the actual wage costs.

Deputy Premier Prue Car said more than 40,000 students participated in the program.

“The