Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: when I returned to Australia earlier today, the Prime Minister asked me to ensure my declarations to the Registrar of Members’ Interests were in order. Consequently my staff have identified an occasion in June 2008 where I accepted accommodation paid for by NIB Health Funds. It is well known in this place that my brother is the CEO of NIB Health Funds. The original plan was for me to share accommodation booked by my brother. Due to a last-minute change in his plans, my brother was unable to join me. As a result, I paid for the accommodation. Shortly thereafter I learned that NIB had contacted the hotel, cancelled my payment and substituted it with their own. I can only say that it is this confusion that led me to overlook the need to declare the sponsored accommodation.

The cost of the accommodation was $450. Members will know that any hospitality valued at more than $300 from a private source must be declared. Clearly in this case the value of the accommodation was greater than that. Additionally, at this time I received a ticket from NIB Health Funds to the State of Origin. This was subsequently declared to the Prime Minister but was below the threshold for declaration to the House. I have written to the registrar today to update my statement of registrable interests. I apologise to the House for this oversight.