SENIOR Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos has been caught breaching parliamentary rules by failing to declare six company directorships during his 15 months in the upper house.
The former chief-of-staff to ex-prime minister John Howard last night admitted that his register of pecuniary interests contained the significant omissions after inquiries by The Daily Telegraph about the anomalies.
“I apologise unreservedly to the senate and to my party colleagues for these oversights,” he said.
“I believe at no stage were there any matters arising from these directorships which may have occasioned a conflict of interest.”
Company searches revealed Senator Sinodinos failed to declare five current directorships, including with an aged healthcare firm whose directors include former Liberal minister Santo Santoro, who quit in disgrace over omissions from his parliamentary register.
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The revelations come after the senator’s business interests came into focus this week when he backed away from claiming a potential multi-million-dollar stake in an infrastructure company after it was linked to Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid. Senator Sinodinos is considered a rising star and almost certain to win a ministerial position in an Abbott government.
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Senator Sinodinos may now face a privileges committee inquiry over the omissions, with punishments for knowingly providing incorrect information to parliament including jail or fines.
– See more at: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/top-liberal-arthur-sinodinos-breached-rules/story-e6freuy9-1226588009343#sthash.LKhJMfdV.dpuf
• Editor’s Question: How do Tasmanian MPs handle conflicts or interest … or perceived conflicts of interest … ?
