September 9, 2026 — 7:45pm
The Macarthur Bulls A-League franchise spent thousands of taxpayers’ dollars earmarked for after-school football clinics on a luxury residential apartment complex.
Facing a parliamentary inquiry established to examine the Football in Schools program, the embattled Bulls on Wednesday launched an aggressive counterattack, claiming a draft auditors’ report critical of the Department of Education administration of the program had been removed.
The most recent revelation compounds allegations the club misspent the $6 million in taxpayer funds. Weeks after the Herald discovered club staff had spent thousands of dollars on restaurants, cafes and alcohol, Macarthur offered to repay $3415.93 it claimed had been “incorrectly coded”. The club’s spending will undergo a forensic audit by McGrathNicol, an advisory firm.
However, the club’s expenditure records reveal taxpayer funds may have been used for residential rental payments. Expenditure statements show a $3033.76 BPAY payment made to Lateral Residences – a collection of “resort-style” apartments located in Zetland, Liverpool and Wolli Creek – in early 2024 was attributed to the program, with Macarthur classifying it as “HO rental”.
