The gambling sector has provided about 150 free tickets to shows, sporting events, and hospitality to politicians from the Federal Government since the 2019 elections. The findings have triggered some concerns regarding the potential for conflict of interest among transparency advocates across Australia.
As revealed by some analysts of the interest registers of the Parliament by transparency organisation Open Politics, the majority of free gifts have been granted by Tabcorp, which is currently the largest sportsbook operator on the territory of the country. Other businesses operating in the sector, such as Star Entertainment, Sportsbet, ClubsNSW, and Australian Hotels Association have also offered gifts to local politicians.
For the time being, there is no suggestion that the decision-making of politicians from the Government or the opposition has been affected by the gifts in question. Still, transparency advocates have shared concerns there may have been conflicts of interest.
Recently, Michelle Rowland, Australia’s communications minister, felt backlash for taking monetary contributions from Sportsbet before the federal election in 2022. Now, it was revealed that she also has accepted 10 free tickets as gifts from Tabcorp since taking over the communications minister’s office. In her current role, she is the one that is supposed to oversee the country’s gambling policy.
Reportedly, Ms Rowland accepted a total of 10 tickets from gambling operators, including Tabcorp and Star Entertainment, in the period between May 2019 and May 2022, while she occupied the position of shadow communications minister.
Gambling Industry’s Political Donations Not Technically Illegal
After the revelations that she received donations from the local gambling industry before last year’s federal election, Michelle Rowland pledged that she would stop accepting such contributions following sustained criticism. She further pledged to remain focused on reducing gambling-related harm and observing the ministerial code of conduct and the register of members’ interests.
Ms Rowland is not the only communications minister who has been granted gifts in the form of hospitality or free tickets from gambling operators. Paul Fletcher, the ex-communications minister, attended the 2019 Melbourne Cup with tickets provided by Tabcorp and Network Ten. Anne Ruston, a senator from the Liberal Party, attended the semi-final of the Australian Open in January 2022 as a guest of Sportsbet while occupying the position of social services minister. In 2023 she attended the same event while in the role of shadow minister for sport.
Although a spokesperson of Tabcorp noted that the gambling giant has always acted in line with Australian laws and parliamentary rules, transparency advocates criticised both the company and local politicians, saying that ministers should by all means avoid taking gifts from businesses operating within their portfolios.
The CEO of Transparency International Australia, Clancy Moore, noted that accepting gifts was not technically illegal, such practices undoubtedly raised some questions. According to Ms Moore, the fact that a minister was obviously responsible for the regulation of gambling and at the same time was accepting thousands of dollars as free gifts in the form of tickets, alcohol and perks from some of the biggest names of the gambling sector, was even more problematic.
- Author
Daniel Williams
