The Greens and independent MPs have raised questions about whether the donations created a conflict of interest but the government says Communications Minister Michelle Rowland acted appropriately.
she received donations from the betting giant while in opposition. They included an $8960 dinner at Sydney’s Rockpool restaurant in March last year and $10,000 to Rowland’s campaign on May 19 when she was shadow minister in the same portfolio.
“If the prime minister is fair dinkum about restoring integrity in this place, and I believe he is … then he will act decisively to dismiss the communications minister if she doesn’t have the honour to resign herself.”In response, Rowland read a written statement saying she complied with donation disclosure rules.Rowland was strongly defended by minister and government leader of the House Tony Burke, who said crossbench MPs had not made the case that Rowland breached the rules.
Although Rowland was not a minister at the time of the Sportsbet donations, Sharkie accused her in parliament of breaching clause 3.21 of the ministerial code of conduct, which states: “Ministers must not seek or accept any kind of benefit or other valuable consideration either for themselves or for others in connection with performing or not performing any element of their official duties as a minister.
“To now discover she was taking funds from Sportsbet means we have all lost confidence in her,” he said in an interview with this masthead. “She should step down.”
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