NT Labor Quiet on Alleged Entertainment Rorts

The Territory Opposition is critical of the refusal by the Sports Minister, Matthew Bonson, to state to the Estimates Committee whether taxpayer funded corporate entertainment has been provided to ALP donors.

In the course of a series of questions concerning an AFL football match in Alice Springs, the Minister would not say who tickets were given away to.

“The Minister is happy to give away 40 tickets, 10 of which were in a corporate box, paid for by taxpayers, but not give details as to whether donors to the ALP were first in line for the tickets,” says Jodeen Carney, Opposition Whip.

“This raises questions of propriety. No one knows whether the Minister gave tickets to people who have given the ALP large amounts of money.

“This Government says it’s ‘open, honest and accountable’ - why then is the Minister refusing to say whether ALP donors received corporate hospitality paid for by taxpayers?

“The Sports Minister did not claim ignorance – he evaded a persistent line of questioning on the subject.

“People who donate more than $1,500 to political parties must register their donation.

“I believe it is equally important for the Government and Opposition to disclose when they provide publicly funded entertainment to political donors.

“Disclosure of the amount of taxpayers funded largesse flowing to political donors will reduce the temptation to misuse public funds.

“Territory Labor promised a much higher standard of public accountability than it has delivered in office.

“To deliver on that promise it should disclose what gifts of public funds it has bestowed on ALP donors”

2008-06-20