NRL Tickets, Booze & Business Class: The Perks of Being a Politician

Australia’s federal politicians are on a pretty nice salary, ranging from $200,000 to $600,000 a year, plus expenses. 

But on top of this, the job comes with pecuniary interests, meaning gifts and perks that include potential, perceived, or actual financial gain. 

Some politicians have accepted freebies like cinema tickets or business-class flights, while others have gained enough benefits to make influencers jealous.

In this episode of This Arvo In Sydney, LiSTNR investigation editor Clair Weaver looks at what our pollies are getting for free. And which pollies like their freebies the most?

Weaver has found that Australia’s former prime minister Scott Morrison has accepted season tickets to all home games for the Cronulla Sharks, among others.

This financial year, ScoMo’s enjoyed return business class tickets from Sydney to Perth, Sydney to South Korea, Sydney to Tokyo, Sydney to New York and Washington, and Sydney to Japan again,”

Weaver said.

About five weeks ago, Mr Morrison got a first ticket to Sydney’s Opera House, plus a return car transfer.

Weaver said other politicians have accepted gifts such as ski resort season passes, meat boxes, skin care products and alcohol.  

She explained that politicians are allowed to accept gifts but if prices are valued at more than $300, they are required to declare them on their register of returns. 

She also noticed that North Sydney MP Kylea Tink had disposed of her shareholdings in two fossil fuel companies due to the conflict with her previous environmental campaigns. 

The purpose of the Register of Members Interests is to put things on the public record that could conflict with Mps public duty,”

she added.

Hosted by Sacha Barbour, This Arvo in Sydney is a 10 to 12 minute daily news podcast made just for Sydney! Listen now on the Listnr app.