Bridget McKenzie rejected 618 applications for community sports infrastructure despite recommendations from Sport Australia to approve the projects as part of a $100m grants program.

Labor’s sport spokesman, Don Farrell, has seized on the evidence at Senate estimates, first reported by the ABC, to claim the program is “dodgy” and demand an explanation as to why the former sport minister rejected the applications.

The community sport infrastructure program shot to prominence in February when the Liberal candidate for Mayo, Georgina Downer, presented a $127,373 taxpayer-funded grant – featuring her face and Liberal party logos – to the Yankalilla bowling club.

The auditor general agreed to review the program after a complaint from Labor and is due to report in November.

The Sport Australia chief executive, Kate Palmer, told a committee hearing on Wednesday that the 684 projects which were ultimately approved by the minister “may not have [all] been” recommended by her organisation.

Palmer revealed that, in round one of the program, 293 projects were recommended by Sports Australia but rejected by the minister, followed by 141 in round two and 184 in the final round, a total of 618 applications.

Palmer took on notice how many times McKenzie approved grants that Sports Australia had recommended not receive funding.

“As the delegate, the minister was able to approve the grants and make the final decisions about the grants,” she said.

Farrell reportedly said: “The minister, we now know, rejected advice from her own department, Sport Australia, as to who should get these grants, and she imposed her own favourite grants in their place.”

Across three rounds, the program delivered a total of 176 grants worth $25m in McKenzie’s home state of Victoria.

Program guidelines stated applications were to be assessed against the criteria of community participation, community need, and project design and delivery, but the minister had the final say and could consider other factors.

Guardian Australia contacted McKenzie and the current sports minister, Richard Colbeck, for comment.