Majority of NT federal politicians fail to declare gifts since 2019

A FIRST class airfare from Doha to Melbourne and a $300 bottle of champagne were among the few free trips and gifts the Territory’s federal politicians have declared since 2019.

A FIRST class airfare from Doha to Melbourne was among the few free trips and gifts the Territory’s federal politicians have declared since 2019.

With the exception of Lingiari MP Warren Snowden, who last updated his register of interested in November 2020, just a month before he announced his retirement, none of the NT MPs or senators has made updates for over a year.

Senator Sam McMahon’s register reveals she was upgraded to first class from Doha to Melbourne on Qatar Airlines in October 2019, but it doesn’t specify who funded the upgrade. No updates had been made to her register since December 2019.

Her register also reveals an enviable list of 10 investment homes around the country and the world, including one in the ritzy Sunshine Coast suburb of Noosa, one in Arizona, USA, and one in the idyllic Gili Gede island off Bali.

Country Liberal Senator for the Northern Territory Sam McMahon, pictured in Darwin. Picture: Amos Aikman/ The Australian

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Mr Snowden was given a bottle of Rare Champagne from Qantas, which retails for around $300, and a fountain pen.

Rev-head Luke Gosling, Member for Solomon, was gifted tickets to both Nitro up North and a spot in the Chief Minister’s Marquee for the V8 Supercars event.

He also declared receiving an expensive set of buffalo horns under the condition that all gifts valued at more than $750 received from official sources, such as delegations from other countries, or worth more than $300 if received from others, must be declared.

When asked for comment, Mr Gosling said he had failed to update his register after “falling behind with COVID”.

He said he had since done so and declared a number of gifts, including several trays of mangoes – which he dished out to other pollies in Canberra – from the president of the NT Mango Association president Leo Skliros, tickets to the Darwin Cup from the Darwin Turf Club, and tickets to a number of fundraising dinners.

Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling. Picture: Che Chorley

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When contacted for comment on Wednesday, a spokesman from Senator’s McMahon’s office said on Thursday morning that the Senator’s interests had not changed since 2019 and that she was upgraded to first class for free because her flight had been overbooked.

Other notable gifts to federal MPs around the nation included “a model train from Mr Smith” gifted to Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson, and tickets to a U2 concert gifted to SA Senator Simon Birmingham.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison accepted a bronze koala statue, a bottle of Hibiki Suntory Whisky (which retails at about $200) and a ticket to the 2020 NRL grand final.

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