Former sports minister John Sidoti declares another property on updated register of assets
John Sidoti has updated his pecuniary interests register, adding a water-view property, free Qantas and Virgin exclusive lounge memberships, 55 tickets to just two Roosters games as well as freebies to the AFL, soccer, rugby and Tim Tszyu’s boxing debut.
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John Sidoti has updated his pecuniary interests register, adding a water-view property, free Qantas and Virgin exclusive lounge memberships, 55 tickets to just two Roosters games as well as freebies to the AFL, soccer, rugby and Tim Tszyu’s boxing debut.
The former sport and veterans’ minister whose private business interests are being investigated by the corruption watchdog updated his annual register of assets and gifts two weeks after The Daily Telegraph broke the story that his property developer partner had made an illegal donation to the Liberal Party.
Mr Sidoti’s latest disclosure brings to seven the number of properties in which he holds an interest.
The new property on the list is the Chiswick home of his parents Catherine and Richard Sidoti, which they have owned since 1980.
The list of gifts Mr Sidoti received in the year to June runs to one page and marks the first time he has declared any gifts since he was elected the member for Drummoyne eight years ago.
Two days after being appointed sports minister Mr Sidoti received 25 tickets to see the Roosters wallop the Broncos on 4 April.
He got another 30 tickets when the Roosters beat St George on Anzac Day — 25 from the Sydney Cricket Ground and five from the Roosters club.
Mr Sidoti was promoted to the ministry after the March election and was previously a parliamentary secretary to planning, transport and cabinet.
Stuart Ayres, who was sports minister for 10 months of the year to June, submitted a substantially longer list of free sport tickets, running to almost three pages with the tickets continuing for months after the portfolio was handed to Mr Sidoti.
Mr Sidoti’s new annual return signed on 27 September and tabled in parliament last week reveals he has free membership to the exclusive Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and the Virgin lounge, The Club.
Entry to the Qantas chairman’s lounge is invite-only and limited to the nation’s most powerful corporate bosses and politicians, with an annual estimated value of $10,000.
Mr Sidoti declined to answer questions yesterday.
The Daily Telegraph last month revealed Mr Sidoti was four years late declaring his interest in properties his family purchased in Five Dock in a $5 million buying spree over the three years to 2017.
These properties, along with the family’s long-held adjacent property on Great North Rd in Five Dock, are subject to a development application for 20 units and a duplex, estimated on completion to be worth $30 million.
The government’s confirmation on Monday that it would build a station across the road on the new $25 billion West Metro is expected to deliver a further $6 million in value to the Sidoti family site.
Mr Sidoti said 104 times in a parliamentary budget estimates hearing on September 12 that he had met all his disclosure obligations.
“I make all the relevant disclosures. In fact, I over disclose because I am open and transparent,” Mr Sidoti said.