Federal MPs accept free sport tickets from gambling companies amid calls to restrict wagering ads
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/19/federal-mps-accept-free-sport-tickets-from-gambling-companies-amid-calls-to-restrict-wagering-ads
13 Comments
The fact we’re perceived as the twelfth least corrupt country is astounding.
[https://transparency.org.au/australia-drops-in-corruption-ranking-amid-global-backslide/](https://transparency.org.au/australia-drops-in-corruption-ranking-amid-global-backslide/)
I’ll never understand why it’s acceptable for politicians but not public servants… this should have been made illegal years ago
Mind you we’ve had the government come out in support of gambling companies already because apparently Australians love a punt and people kicking ball’s wouldn’t get a million a year if we didn’t support gambling companies
Hang on a minute.. Isn’t that the reason politicians give themselves huge pay rises, to stop them being easily susceptible to bribes? Maybe they should also implement a law where politicians must be allowed free entry to all sporting events as well? We really must make sure politicians are protected from themselves..
It pisses me off that theyre willing to sell out the nation’s future for fucking sporting tickets
Just as an FYI, bribery of public servants is a punishable offence.
People try getting us to keep the change from their purchase when they pay cash – we can’t even do that. But the *top* public servants in the country, the ones who literally run it? It’s blatant, and often.
It’s a joke.
Really needs to be a hard as nails cap on the value of gifts per year, an endless stream of “gifts” is pretty rich for what should be the occasional bottle of wine or bunch of flowers.
$500 per year.
Why are we so corrupt?
I’ve been catching up on some shows on TenPlay. The amount of gambling ads is ridiculous on that. It’s so predatory, I feel bad for people with gambling addictions. You just can’t hide from the ads, it’s everywhere.
We weren’t allowed so much as a chocolate to say thanks for your work in Health. Rules for thee not for me as usual!
I work in gov, my area has a ZERO tolerance rule for gifts.
I can’t accept a pen with a company logo on it and these muppets get fancy tickets?
All pollie’s should have a zero tolerance gift and benefits policy.
These gifts are always so strange to me. Like, I have my own money. I don’t need a company’s charity to go attend the thing I want to attend with people who are, at best, politely acquainted peers. I’ve had offers of fishing charters and resort holidays etc and I’d rather do that with my friends and family. I’m not going to spend a week on a boat with someone who has an ulterior motive, what a waste of my time.
Can we start taxing gambling at some point?
“It is difficult for a man to understand something, when his job depends on not understanding it.”
– Upton Sinclair (*I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked* 1935)