Political gifts: NSW members accept grand finals and concert tickets, ski passes and booze
Free tickets to major sporting finals, big-name stadium concerts, a ski pass to slopes in Australia and overseas and boozy donations are among the free gifts NSW senators and MPs have accepted since the election.
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A luxury ski pass that grants access to slopes all over the world are among the gifts accepted by independent MP Zali Steggall since she took office.
Ms Steggall was gifted an annual $889 ski pass to Perisher — some 500km from her Warringah electorate — according to the self-reported official register of MP and senator interests.
The lift pass allows unlimited access at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham as well as several major slopes in Japan, Russia and the US.
A spokeswoman for Ms Steggall said the Perisher pass had been a longstanding gift, following the naming of a ski run after the Olympian.
“Ms Steggall has been given a Perisher lift pass for the past 15 years to acknowledge her success as one of Australia’s most internationally successful alpine skiers,” she said.
Ms Steggall also accepted complimentary flights from Sydney to the Gold Coast to speak on a political panel at the Splendour in the Grass music festival.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese also attended the panel, but instead charged the cost of flights from Sydney to Coolangatta — about $831 — to the taxpayer.
Free tickets to major sporting finals, stadium concerts, and boozy donations were among the perks of public office enjoyed by NSW politicians at no personal cost since the election.
Serving their electorates proved thirsty work for a number of NSW-based senators and MPs who accepted alcohol gifts in recent months.
Shortland MP Pat Conroy took home six bottles of whisky as a “gift from a constituent”.
Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon was gifted 12 bottles of Margaret River wine by WA Labor, while NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells received six bottles of Waverley Estate wines, valued at $278.
Beverage company Lion — which owns major beer brands including XXXX, Tooheys and James Boags — provided “in kind” support to Liberal senator Andrew Bragg for the opening of his office in September.
Lion also hosted Greenway MP Michelle Rowland and a guest at game one of State of Origin in Brisbane.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Mr Albanese and North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman also kicked back at Origin games on the house last year.
Mr McCormack was one of several politicians — including Mr Bragg, Liberal MP Fiona Martin and Labor MP Linda Burney — who enjoyed tickets to the AFL grand final in September.
Multiple politicians have accepted tickets to concerts, with Mr Zimmerman recently enjoying a Billy Elliot performance, Richmond MP Justine Elliot attending Splendour, while Communications and Arts Minister Paul Fletcher accepted tickets for his wife to attend the U2 concert in Sydney courtesy of ARIA. Labor senator Jenny McAllister also accepted tickets to see Bono live, as did Wentworth MP David Sharma.
The value of these tickets is not stated but top spots at the U2 concerts were on general sale for $530.
Mr Sharma also now enjoys complementary membership of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Mr Albanese was recently gifted tickets to a production of Lord of the Flies.
Ms Rowland took a guest to the Golden Eagle horse race courtesy of Tabcorp.
NSW Liberal senator Hollie Hughes attended the Melbourne Cup in the Furphy Marquee – a gift valued at $800.