Mark Latham didn’t declare VIP freebies at Rosehill Racecourse sale inquiry
The maverick MP quizzed Australian Turf Club directors at a government inquiry over the sale of Rosehill racecourse. He didn’t mention they’d personally given him corporate hospitality at the races.
NSW
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Mark Latham questioned multiple witnesses at the parliamentary inquiry into the sale of Rosehill Racecourse, without declaring they had provided him with VIP hospitality.
Mr Latham, who played a key role during the hearings, asked questions to Australian Turf Club Directors while not disclosing that he had been their guest at the Golden Slipper meeting a few months earlier.
On August 9, the Select Committee on the Proposal to Develop Rosehill Racecourse heard from ATC representatives including Chairman Peter McGauran, Vice Chair Tim Hale, Director Caroline Searcy and Head of Membership and Corporate Affairs, Steve McMahon.
Before questioning all of them, Mr Latham did not advise the Committee he had been invited by the ATC to the 2024 and 2023 Golden Slipper meetings, given three tickets to Rosehill’s The Winning Post restaurant and a further six tickets to the Members’ Marquee.
His only declaration during the hearings was “for the interests of transparency … I’m one of 13,000 ATC members.”
The Daily Telegraph has been told Mr Latham requested tickets from Ms Searcy to this year’s Slipper meeting in the Director’s Room at Rosehill.
It’s understood Mr Latham was seen on that day in the company of several ATC Directors, including Ms Searcy and Mr Hale.
Mr Latham has refused to answer specific questions about his freebies.
Ms Searcy, Mr Hale and Mr McGauran referred all inquiries to ATC media, who declined to comment. The directors are not alleged to have done anything wrong regarding the gifts.
According to parliamentary rules – members must take “reasonable steps to avoid, resolve or disclose any conflict between their private interests and the public interests.”
Mr Latham was also a guest of the ATC shortly after defending the organisation during a debate last year in the Upper House.
On the 30th of November, 2023 Mr Latham told Hansard: “the Australian Turf Club management, now in the hands of Peter McGauran and Tim Hale, is magnificent.”
“The wonderful hosts are energetic, enthusiastic and doing a great job, particularly at Randwick and Rosehill” he said.
Two days later, Mr Latham and two others were guests of the ATC in the The Winning Post restaurant at Rosehill.
According to the ATC’s website, The Winning Post offers “the ultimate race day experience … where private tables await” and patrons are treated to a “three-course a la carte menu and beverage package.”
Multiple MPs have told this masthead that while Mr Latham had noted his freebies from the ATC on his annual MP declarations, it was a “bad look” to not declare them at a major inquiry into the sale of Rosehill.
Mr Latham has declined to comment on what appears to be a separate discrepancy on his declarations, where he claimed to receive Wimbledon tickets from “M.Philippoussis” and Magic Millions accommodation from “Arrowfield Stud.”
Both Arrowfield Stud and the manager of former Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis have confirmed they did not provide Mr Latham any free hospitality.
The maverick MP, who recently accused members of the media and politicians of “being bought off by freebies at Royal Randwick and Rosehill” has accepted more than 90 tickets to sporting events, hospitality and VIP corporate boxes since he entered parliament in 2019.
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Originally published as Mark Latham didn’t declare VIP freebies at Rosehill Racecourse sale inquiry
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