rort

See also: rört

English

Etymology

Probably a back-formation from rorty (“boisterous or rowdy, saucy, dissipated, or risqué”). Originally slang but now in common usage.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɔː(ɹ)t/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Homophone: wrought (non-rhotic)
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t

Noun

rort (plural rorts)

1. (Australia, New Zealand) A scam or fraud, especially involving the misappropriation of public money or resources.
   • 2008, Australian House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), page 4067,

     Not all of the projects were bad or rorts; the majority were no doubt valuable to their communities.

   • 2009, Justine Vaisutis, Australia, Lonely Planet, page 81:

     It′s one of the great rorts in Australia that for overstaying your welcome (even by five minutes) in a space that may cost only a few dollars to park in, local councils are prepared to fine you anywhere from $50 to $120.

   • 2011, Malcolm Knox, Greg Chappell, Fierce Focus, unnumbered page:

     The rort was that South Australia and Western Australia, who controlled their grounds, were allowed to double-dip. In Perth, for instance, the WACA sold season tickets, which they marketed in the form of memberships, to everything at the ground, including football. They had a huge membership and were rolling in money, but because they′d sold their tickets in memberships, they declared a loss on the cricket Test match. At the end of the season, though, they′d get the same twofourteenths^[sic] of Pool Two as Queensland.

Verb

rort (third-person singular simple present rorts, present participle rorting, simple past and past participle rorted)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, transitive) To cheat or defraud.
   • 1992, Victorian Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), page 496:

     He wants to change the system for the benefit of all and wants to stop the incredible rorting that has occurred within the prisons system.

   • 2009 January 30, Ben Packham, “Same-sex couples accused of cheating system”, in Herald Sun‎^[1], archived from the original on 2 February 2009:

     SINGLE pensioners living together will come under scrutiny from Centrelink looking for same-sex couples rorting welfare.

   • 2011, James Morton, Susanna Lobez, Kings of Stings: The Greatest Swindles From Down Under, page 118:

     York is then alleged to have rorted the doctor out of his share.

Anagrams

• Torr, torr