Andrew Wilkie, the independent MP for Denison, claims to have secured $900m in bonus funding for Tasmania since the last election.
And Tony Windsor is claiming credit for $300m worth of extra spending – including $120m to redevelop Tamworth Hospital and $32m for a cancer clinic – in his northern NSW electorate of New England.
In the neighboring seat of Lyne, Rob Oakeshott’s constituents have enjoyed $360m in federal grants for projects ranging from $137m in hospital expansions to $102m in local highway upgrades.
Mr Oakeshott has revealed he is lobbying for more grants from the minority Gillard Government in its final budget, to be handed down next month.
Independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor in federal parliament. Picture: Kym Smith
“At a local level I’ve got a list of items 100 feet long in with government for any opportunity for funding, as any local member should,” he said.
Mr Oakeshott said his Port Macquarie electorate had secured more federal government funding during his five years as MP, than in 60 years with a National Party member.
“Sure, we’ve done well,” he said.
“Obviously in this parliament we’ve been able to step it up another level, not just for the electorate of Lyne but for regional Australia.
“Rather than being apologetic about it, it exposes the question as to why does it take a parliament like this to deliver equity and fairness to the entire country and not just favoured locations?”
Independents: Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor talk to Greens MP Adam Bandt in Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith
Mr Wilkie said the Federal Government had met all its local funding promises, including $340m to redevelop the Royal Hobart Hospital.
“In fact I’ve won almost as much additional federal funding again for the electorate since I tore up my agreement to support the Government in January 2012,” he said.
“(In total this is) almost $900m on top of what Tasmania/Denison would have received in normal circumstances.”
A News Ltd analysis reveals the three independents who sided with Labor to create Julia Gillard’s minority government are claiming kudos for more than $1.5 billion in additional funding for their constituents.
The figure excludes $10 billion in spending on highways and railways that also pass through Labor and Coalition seats – including a $600m highway bypass at Kempsey, on the border of Mr Oakeshott’s electorate.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he has won $900m for his electorate and the rest of Tasmania. Picture: Matthew Newton
The Commonwealth Auditor-General has revealed that cross-bench MPs received nearly double their proportional share of federal health funding last year.
The cross-benchers at the time of the 2010/11 health funding announcements – Bob Katter, Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Andrew Wilkie, Greens MP Adam Brandt and WA-based Tony Crook – held 2.1 per cent of all federal electorates.
Yet they were given 3.9 per cent of funding under the Health and Hospitals Fund – excluding the major hospital upgrades announced soon after the 2010 election.
A spokesman for Mr Albanese said Mr Oakeshott’s lobbying had delivered infrastructure to adjoining National Party and Labor-held electorates as well.
“Rob Oakeshott has lobbied for money to complete the duplication of the Pacific Highway and the benefits of that are spread across four or five electorates,” he said.
Independent MP Bob Katter and Greens MP Adam Bandt talking in federal Parliament. Picture: Kym Smith
Mr Windsor did not return phone calls.