The Labor MP Julian Hill’s declaration of a 75-centimetre statue of himself, given by a constituent, has shone a light on the interesting – and sometimes weird – world of political disclosures and gifts.
Gifts ranging from bottles of wine to customised vinyl record turntables, free concert tickets to flight upgrades are accepted and dutifully recorded on the federal politicians’ publicly available register of interests, as required under parliamentary rules.
A set of longstanding rules govern what pecuniary information politicians have to list – and explain why the firebrand MP from Melbourne declared his unusual gift this week.
A ‘priceless’ 75cm statue
“Statue of me received from a constituent Mr Haidary. 56cm high. Seated on a 75cm high throne. Made in Iran,” Hill added to his register yesterday, noting the value as “priceless”.
A photo of said statue, obtained by Guardian Australia, shows the MP seated on a gold armchair in a navy suit and black boots. At his feet are what appear to be a feather duster and a white piece of fabric – both details Hill himself was unable to shed light on.
Hill told Sky News the statue came from a local supporter who his office “provided great help to”.
“An unsolicited and very surprising gift,” Hill said.
“I checked the rules and I do need to declare it. I concluded it was made by an artist and shipped from overseas, it probably exceeded the $300 value – but how could I value it? So I valued it as priceless.”
The rules for gifts
The $300 value Hill refers to goes to one of the register’s rules. Both senators and members are required to declare gifts valued above $750 received from official sources, like other office-holders or foreign governments, or above $300 from non-official sources. Gifts from family or friends don’t need registration.
Guidelines for official gifts, applicable to ministers, say politicians can keep gifts over the $300 or $750 values if they pay the difference themselves to the government. It means official gifts are often surrendered to their departments but some politicians elect to keep highly prized gifts.
The rules say ministers and the prime minister can accept gifts, but “must not seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity”.
Politicians are also required to disclose shareholdings, real estate, liabilities and debts, bank accounts, major assets, income outside their parliamentary salary, membership of any organisations, and any sponsored travel or hospitality above $300.
The rules require politicians to update any changes within 28 days – but while some MPs are meticulous in keeping up to date, others are more sparing in their updates, or miss the 28-day window entirely without any penalty.
The disclosures
Anthony Albanese noted last week he’d been given a watch by the Sultan of Brunei, which he surrendered to his department. The prime minister also “retained” a custom turntable from the US president, Joe Biden, which he received on his visit to the US last year for a state dinner. In an earlier register update, Albanese noted he had “surrendered” the turntable (which came with a “commemorative plaque”), as well as books on music history and framed AC/DC and Bruce Springsteen records.
The vast majority of politicians have declared membership of the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and the Virgin Club, the exclusive clubhouses allowing VIPs to shelter away from the hoi polloi at crowded airports. Many others have declared complimentary subscriptions to Foxtel or Sky News – while the Labor MP Dan Repacholi disclosed he “didn’t take up the offer” when approached.
Numerous Coalition MPs declared travel to the United Arab Emirates from the Coalition for Conservation or to the United Kingdom for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference. Other MPs have noted travel for a study visit to Israel provided by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.
Barnaby Joyce listed shareholdings for his dependent children in Woodside, Rare Earths and Commonwealth Bank. In 2021 he famously listed “head of cattle (multiple)” as assets belonging to his son.
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, listed a box of royal gala apples from Gaeta & Sons Orchards and a Christmas ham from Australian Pork Limited.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, has declared tickets from Disney to the premiere of a Beauty and the Beast show, as well as to a production of Swan Lake from Telstra.
The Liberal senator Wendy Askew in January declared receiving whisky from the Callington Mill Distillery, “value approximately $315”, and a Gobi cashmere scarf from the Mongolian ambassador, “value approximately AUD210”.
The Liberal senator Ross Cadell is known for colourful storytelling in his disclosures, with declarations of a candle “smelling of sandalwood with delightful subtle undertones of vanilla” from the embassy of the United Arab Emirates and a St Patrick’s Day function with the Irish embassy (“I found the Guinness a bit bitey, like watered down Marmite”).
The Australian Association of Christian Schools delivered a pack of hot cross buns to numerous MPs just before Easter, including Cadell and the education minister, Jason Clare.
Clare has listed gifts from as small as a $5 badge or calico bag, a $10 pair of socks from a charity and a $4 packet of lollies, up to a bottle of wine from the Bangladeshi high commissioner and a goodie bag from Bankstown RSL.
The Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has declared his Hecs/Help student debt on his list of liabilities – something few other politicians, some of whom would have benefited from free university tuition instituted by Gough Whitlam, have declared.
