Former Liberal minister Bruce Billson has been censured by parliament after he took up a lobbying job while still in parliament and failed to declare his income from the role.
Liberal MP Ross Vasta moved the motion on Tuesday, after the powerful privileges committee recommended the step a day earlier.
The committee said Mr Billson should be censured for accepting payment for services to represent the interests of the Franchise Council of Australia and failing to declare the $75,000 annual income he received for that role.
It accepted Mr Billson's admission the failure was an error and found no evidence of any attempt at improper influence by him or the FCA, but determined he didn't understand that a perceived conflict of interest had arisen.
Labor MP Pat Conroy seconded the motion, which he explained was parliament expressing its severe disapproval of Mr Billson's actions.
"Ultimately when we leave this place our highest and most remaining asset is our reputation and this motion goes to that and so it's a very serious course of action for parliament to take," he said.
The inquiry also uncovered a second instance of failure, when Mr Billson admitted he'd also not disclosed the activity of his personal company Agile Advisory.
As well as a recommendation to censure, the committee also suggested a new standing order that would expressly prohibit MPs engaging in work as lobbyists while still serving in parliament.
