Federal Labor MP Michael Danby’s travel and hospitality to speak about pro-Israeli causes overseas was paid for by private interests, after he told party colleagues he was too ill to attend a sitting week of parliament.
But Mr Danby has declined to say who helped fund his travels in September last year in a handwritten update to his parliamentary register of interests that was submitted hastily on Monday after The Australian asked questions about the trip.
Nor has the Labor MP listed the dates for his sponsored travel and hospitality in the sparsely worded update that says: “Economy fare Geneva — Ben Gurion 2 nights accomm”.
The Australian reported on Monday that the Labor MP took a trip to Israel and Geneva in September last year and attended conferences after submitting a medical certificate stating he was unfit for parliamentary duties. The second week of Mr Danby’s absence was a sitting week of parliament, and some senior Labor colleagues say they were puzzled to hear “international pips” when they called to ask after Mr Danby’s health in the belief he was ill at home in Melbourne.
Read the full article by Brad Norington at The Australian (subscription only).