Senior Australian politicians rush to disclose free PayTV subscriptions amid uncertainty

[fruxodaily]

[QUOTE][B]Some of Australia's most senior politicians have been caught out not declaring a free pay television subscription worth up to $1,600 a year.[/B]

Treasurer Scott Morrison and Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos have rushed to update their register of interests after the ABC began contacting federal MPs.

Labor MPs Anthony Albanese and Tim Watts, crossbench senator Derryn Hinch, and Greens MP Adam Bandt have also added the Foxtel or Austar subscriptions to their register.

The pay TV lobby group ASTRA offers the freebie to all federal parliamentarians for their electorate offices.

Many politicians have accepted and disclosed the subscription, while others, like Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, declined and paid for it themselves to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

But there is confusion about whether politicians need to declare the gift, with some raising concerns about "a grey area" in the rules.

Senator Hinch said he did not know the subscription was free and updated his interests within hours of being contacted by the ABC.

"I just presumed it was part of the parliamentary package," he said.

Senator Hinch called on all parliamentarians with Foxtel subscriptions to declare them, if they haven't already.

"Ignorance, we know with the dual citizenship, is not a defence," he said.

But fellow crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm, who also received a subscription, said he didn't think it was worth disclosing.

"The subscription was offered to all sitting MPs, therefore it is not mandatory to include it on the pecuniary interest register," he said.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-23/senior-politicians-rush-to-disclose-free-foxtel-subscriptions/8832532[/url]

[cis.joshb]

The governed should not fear the government, the government should fear its own ethics rules
(in Australia I guess...)

[Sableye]

nothing about this seems like anyone should have taken it to begin with. even if it might not be criminal, its taking a free gift from lobbiests

[Patrick]

[QUOTE=Sableye;52602409]nothing about this seems like anyone should have taken it to begin with. even if it might not be criminal, its taking a free gift from lobbiests[/QUOTE]

foxtel is expensive even on a federal pollie salary, can't blame them.