September 5, 2014 – 4:24PM
Nathan Paull
Glasses of Penfolds wine. Photo: Glenn Hunt
A bottle of wine similar to the one that famously felled Barry O’Farrell was one of almost $20,000 worth of gifts Queensland Premier Campbell Newman received last financial year.
Mr O’Farrell resigned as NSW premier earlier this year after denying before the Independent Commission Against Corruption that he had received a $3000 bottle of 1959 Penfolds Grange from Australian Water Holdings Boss Nick Di Girolamo.
Mr Newman didn’t make the same mistake, listing a similar, but more common $700 bottle of 2002 Penfolds Grange in his ministerial gifts register for the 2013/14 financial year.
Barry O’Farrell. Photo: Lidia Nikonova
The bottle, from developer Nick Gardner, was one of 37 gifts worth a combined $19,041.65 given to Mr Newman during the period. The gifts also included a traditional Maori spear, a t-shirt gun and a painting of himself.
Mr Newman handed the wine to the Ministerial Services Branch, which will auction it for charity.
He did, however, keep three designer ties worth $755 from recruitment entrepreneur Sarina Russo.
Assistant Planning Reform Minister Rob Molhoek received the most expensive gift – a Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch valued at $23,400 – worth more than all the premier’s gifts combined.
He too offered the gift, from a Mr Ruipeng Li, to the Ministerial Services Branch for auction.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney received a $880 silver peacock figurine and a $740 silver bowl from Indian mining giants GVK and Adani respectively, which he has put on display.
AAP
Source : The Brisbane Times
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