Fresh revelations have raised questions over Sports Minister Anika Wells’ acceptance of VIP Suite tickets to an AFL match while her husband was employed by a lobbying firm linked to the club.
Ms Wells accepted two tickets to a VIP suite to the Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans match at the Gabba on June 16, 2023.
The exclusive tickets were declared on her Register of Interests as “2 x VIP suite tickets to Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans game as guest of Sydney Swans” after the match.
At the time, Ms Wells’ husband, Finn McCarthy, was a senior consultant at lobbying firm SEC Newgate, which listed the Sydney Swans as a client and had donated to the minister’s campaign.
The circumstances surrounding the hospitality raise questions about Ms Wells’ failure to disclose her husband’s employment.
Ms Wells’ office maintains the minister complied with the Prime Minister’s Ministerial Code of Conduct and made all appropriate disclosures.
“All Ministers comply with the Prime Minister’s Code of Conduct for Ministers. The Minister made the appropriate disclosures,” a ministerial spokesperson said.
But the office did not explain why Mr McCarthy’s employment with SEC Newgate did not appear on Ms Wells’ Register of Interests, or whether he attended the VIP suite.
VIP hospitality from the Swans
At the time of the match, the Sydney Swans were listed as a client of SEC Newgate on the Register of Lobbyists.
SEC Newgate chairman Brian Tyson was also a Sydney Swans board director at the time.
News24.com.au was told Mr McCarthy did not do any work with the Sydney Swans and that the club was not a paying client of SEC Newgate.
However, the Sydney Swans have since engaged SEC Newgate as a paying client, but this was not the case at the time of the tickets being offered to Ms Wells.
It’s understood the Sydney Swans were only listed as a client at the time to avoid the impression that Mr Tyson was not being upfront about his role on the club’s board.
Ms Wells’ office, however, did not confirm how the invitation was arranged or whether her husband was involved.
It remains unclear who received the second ticket and whether Mr McCarthy accompanied his wife to the match.
Husband’s lobbying role
Mr McCarthy’s employment at SEC Newgate was not disclosed on Ms Wells’ Register of Interests.
The Prime Minister’s Ministerial Code of Conduct, introduced in June 2022, states that ministers are responsible for declaring their private interests and for identifying and declaring actual or potential conflicts of interest with their official duties.
Ms Wells’ spokeswoman said in 2022 the minister had established “internal protocols and handling arrangements between her husband’s career and her own to ensure the highest level of probity”.
Asked why Mr McCarthy’s employment was not disclosed, Ms Wells’ office did not provide an explanation, instead maintaining that the minister had made the appropriate disclosures.
SEC Newgate donation
The relationship between Ms Wells and SEC Newgate comes against the backdrop of a $1,500 donation made by SEC Newgate to Queensland Labor in August 2021.
Queensland Electoral Commission records described the payment as a “Campaign Contribution to Anika Wells for Lilley”.
Taxpayer-funded Comcar
Ms Wells also used taxpayer-funded transport to travel to the VIP suite at the Gabba.
IPEA records show Brisbane Comcar expenses incurred by Ms Wells on June 16, 2023, including two trips of $78.26 and $72.14.
The IPEA description of the travel states: “The Minister travelled by comcar within Brisbane to attend and meet stakeholders at an AFL fixture.”
IPEA found the dominant purpose of the travel was parliamentary business under the relevant determination and that the resources were accessed in a manner consistent with the requirements.
The finding did not establish who accompanied Ms Wells to the match, nor does it establish whether her husband was the holder of the second VIP ticket.
Ms Wells’ spokesperson did not directly answer questions about the June 16 Comcar journeys, instead referring to the IPEA report.
Previous expenses controversies
The fresh questions come after Ms Wells faced intense criticism over her breach of taxpayer-funded parliamentary travel entitlements.
The Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority recently ordered Ms Wells to repay $8,093 in wrongly claimed expenses plus $2,023 in penalties.
The expenses watchdog commenced its audit into the minister’s travel expenses between 2022 and 2025 in December.
After almost six months, IPEA found Ms Wells had breached the requirements of family travel under the Parliamentary Business Resources Act.
The authority revealed four of Ms Wells’ 25 taxpayer-funded family trips did not fully meet regulations governing parliamentary benefits.
Shadow communications minister and Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson has previously said Ms Wells has shown a “total disregard for taxpayers’ money”.
“The Prime Minister keeps turning a blind eye while one of his ministers treats taxpayers’ money like her own personal expense account,” Ms Henderson said.
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