Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slammed for ‘secret’ dinner with SportsBet

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed for attending a lavish private dinner paid for by betting firm SportsBet before the 2022 election.

Anthony Albanese’s attendance at a private dinner paid for by betting firm SportsBet doesn’t “pass the sniff test”, according to anti-corruption champion Independent MP Monique Ryan.

The prime minister was wined-and-dined by gambling executives at the National Press Club just weeks before the 2022 election, The Australian Financial Review reported on Tuesday.

He attended the lavish dinner hosted by the betting giant on February 9, 2022 against a background of growing calls for a cap on gambling advertisements.

The report came one day after The Australian Financial Review revealed Communications Minister Michelle Rowland attended a birthday lunch hosted by gambling lobbyists at a luxury restaurant in Melbourne last year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been lashed for attending a lavish dinner hosted by SportsBet. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Dr Ryan highlighted Mr Albanese’s “secret” dinner as a reason to limit the influence of lobbyists in Canberra.

The Independent MP recently introduced a draft law to prevent lobbyists from giving politicians large gifts and overhaul the relevant code of conduct.

On Tuesday, she called on all major parties to support her private members bill to “restore trust in democracy.”

“Lobbyists spend millions influencing politicians in the hopes they make decisions for commercial interests over the public interest. They don’t spend this money expecting nothing in return,” she said.

“Yesterday I introduced my #CleanUpPoliticsAct, and already it’s making a case for itself: under the Act, Anthony Albanese’s secret dinner would not have been able to go ahead.”

While both lavish meals attended by Mr Albanese and Ms Rowland were legal, Dr Ryan argued they should have been placed in the ministerial diary so they could be scrutinised.

When she introduced her draft bill on Monday, Dr Ryan argued it was vital to regulate lobbyists in order to prevent corrupt behaviour between parties involved, such as cash for access arrangements.

Regulation would also ensure decisions are made fairly and based on merit, the Independent MP explained.

Member for Kooyong Monique Ryan is calling for greater regulation of lobbyist involvement in politics. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

She explained the current code of conduct for lobbyists has failed because it is “toothless” and “too limited” and the enforcement has been “dismal”.

“We need an independent regulator administering a strong legislative scheme, not a complacent and conflicted government waving an administrative framework with the cohesion and effectiveness of a wet tissue,” she said.

Dr Ryan called for the implementation of a publicly accessible lobbyist register and a prohibition on former politicians working as lobbyists for three years after leaving parliament.

Lobbyists in breach of the draft bill would be fined for breaches and the code would be enforced by an independent integrity commission.

“We want and we need to hold public officials to a higher standard of integrity,” the Independent MP said.

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slammed for ‘secret’ dinner with SportsBet