Spoons, sport and wine: Gift giving and NSW politicians

Wine, sport and spoons were among the gifts declared by members of the NSW Parliament throughout 2010 and 2011, but a $3000 bottle of Grange made no appearance.

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Outgoing NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has resigned after a handwritten letter of thanks emerged for the bottle, reportedly gifted to him on April 22, 2011.

Mr O’Farrell told an Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing he could recall accepting the gift, sent by former Australian Water Holdings boss Nick Di Girolamo.

Mr O’Farrell did not declare any gifts in the Register of Disclosures by Members of the Legislative Assembly, tabled in October 2011.

Members are required to declare gifts valued at more than $500, unless donated by a family member or as a political contribution to be delcared elsewhere.

Mr O'Farrell's fellow members listed presents ranging from U2 tickets to CWA gift vouchers throughout 2011-12.

Member for Goulburn Pru Goward was among the politicians to declare a bottle of wine, which had been sent as a thank you gift for finding a mobile phone in the street.

Ms Goward also collected a watercolour painted by a constituent among her list of gifts.

Tickets to U2 and a copy of “The Secret History of Governor Macquarie’s Collector Chest” were among the gifts declared by the then Member for Marrickville Carmell Tebbutt, while Member for Upper Hunter George Souris listed spoons.

A handful of politicians listed tickets to football, rugby and the cricket, while Member for North Coast Don Page was gifted a “$15 gift voucher” from the Ballina CWA.

The last financial year, from July 1 2012 to June 30 2013, did not see any gifts registered by Mr O'Farrell. He listed an upgrade on two flights between Sydney and Abu Dhabi in the Register of Discolsure dated 2011-12.


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By Stephanie Anderson
Source: SBS

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