Election economic update shows government has provided $116.6 million in grants to key seats

Payment updates within the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook show 15 projects have been awarded Community Development Grants since the March budget, with eight grants allocated to marginal electorates.

The total amount allocated across the additional projects since the budget sits at $116.6 million.

Six of the electorates are marginal seats held by Labor, and are being targeted by the Coalition as potential gains. The community grants are allocated at the discretion of the relevant minister, with the PEFO update signalling a pork-barrel fight within seats which could determine whether the Coalition retains or Labor gains government.

Community Development Grants are the responsibility of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

The responsible ministers who have the discretionary power to allocate grants include Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher.

Payments made since the budget reveal a $15 million grant was awarded for the redevelopment of the Frankston Basketball Stadium, located in the Victorian electorate of Dunkley. The seat is held by Labor's Peta Murphy on a margin of 2.7 per cent.

A further $5 million has been set aside for Scheyville Veteran Wellbeing Centre in the seat of Macquarie, which is held by Labor MP Susan Templeman and is the most marginal electorate in the country.

The Morrison government has been plagued by a number of pork-barrelling scandals associated with grant schemes, including the allocation of money in its commuter car park and sporting grant programs.

The rorting of taxpayer funds has fuelled calls for the establishment of a federal integrity commission to stamp out corruption within the Commonwealth.

Funds through the community grants scheme have also been allocated to the redevelopment of Mount Waverley Reserve for $4 million. The seat is held by Liberal MP Gladys Liu on a margin of 0.6 per cent.

At least three of the 15 projects were Labor announcements that were matched by the Coalition ahead of the election being called.

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Before the Commonwealth entered caretaker mode, a $3 million grant was awarded for a community hall upgrade in Boothby.

The South Australian electorate is held by outgoing Liberal Nicolle Flint on a margin of 1.4 per cent and is being eyed by Labor.

Labor is also confident it could pick up the seat of Sturt, which also received a $3.6 million grant for clubrooms to be upgraded at a bowling club.

The Tasmanian seat of Lyons, which is being touted a potential Liberal win, was awarded $4.2 million for upgrades to Giant Steps in the country town of Deloraine.

A $6.1 million grant was also provided to a levee upgrade in the Queensland seat of Dawson. The seat is currently held by former LNP member George Christensen, who is standing for the Senate as a One Nation candidate.

Emergency Management Minister Bridget McKenzie said the levee upgrade was designed to improve flood mitigation in the Mackay area, following recommendations from the Queensland government.

"The program is funding projects identified locally to improve the resilience of communities in the social, economic, natural or built environments," she said in a statement.

Alan Tudge's seat of Aston was granted $5 million for an upgrade of a football and netball club in the Melbourne suburb of Boronia.

PEFO documents also show $8.7 million was set aside for the Australian Institute of Sport Arena, a key election pledge for Liberal senator Zed Seselja who is fighting a tough battle in the ACT Senate race.

The bulk of payments made since the budget has been in the form of disaster payments for flood victims.