Julie Bishop: when is a partner not a partner?

by Elizabeth Minter | Jun 23, 2020 | Dubious Travel Claims, Liberal Party, QED

Dubious Travel Claims | Liberal Party | QED

Julie Bishop

Julie Bishop: when is a partner not a partner?

2015-2017

Julie Bishop claimed $32,000 in taxpayers’ money for “family” travel by her long-term partner but did not declare his financial interests because she claims he is not her spouse.

Julie Bishop says she was not obliged to disclose the financial interests of her partner David Panton on the parliamentary register because he is not her “spouse” or de facto partner. This means that details of his business interests and property holdings are not disclosed.

According to The Age and SMH, because Mr Panton is not listed as a spouse, Ms Bishop has never declared any complimentary travel, hospitality or flight upgrades he may have received while accompanying her around Australia or on missions abroad.

What's a rort?

Conflicts of Interest

Redirecting funding to pet hobbies; offering jobs to the boys without a proper tender process; secretly bankrolling candidates in elections; taking up private sector jobs in apparent breach of parliament’s code of ethics, the list goes on.

Deceptive Conduct

Claiming that greenhouse gas emissions have gone down when the facts clearly show otherwise; breaking the law on responding to FoI requests; reneging on promised legislation; claiming credit for legislation that doesn’t exist; accepting donations that breach rules. You get the drift of what behaviour this category captures.

Election Rorts

In the months before the last election, the Government spent hundreds of millions of dollars of Australian taxpayers’ money on grants for sports, community safety, rural development programs and more. Many of these grants were disproportionally awarded to marginal seats, with limited oversight and even less accountability.

Dubious Travel Claims

Ministerial business that just happens to coincide with a grand final or a concert; electorate business that must be conducted in prime tourist locations, or at the same time as party fundraisers. All above board, maybe, but does it really pass the pub test? Or does it just reinforce the fact that politicians take the public for mugs?

Julie Bishop: when is a partner not a partner?

Julie Bishop: when is a partner not a partner?

What's a rort?

Conflicts of Interest

Deceptive Conduct

Election Rorts

Dubious Travel Claims

Thank you!

Thank you!

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