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{
    "id": 901856,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/901856/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 96,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "content": "“The House has two distinct, but related methods for the disclosure of the personal financial interests of its Members: registration of interests in a register which is publicly available, and declaration of interest in the course of debate and in other contexts. The main purpose of the register is to give public notification on a continuous basis of those financial interests held by Members which might be thought to influence their parliamentary conduct or actions. The main purpose of the declaration is to ensure that fellow Members of the House and the public are made aware, at the appropriate time when a Member is participating in the proceedings of the House, of any past, present or expected future financial interest which might reasonably be thought to be relevant to those proceedings… In addition, in the interests of transparency, in certain circumstances, Members are encouraged to declare non-financial interests as well.” Hon. Members, the US Congress has also very robust laws governing declaration of interests by Members of the US Congress. The rules of the House of Representatives spell out a Code of Conduct for Members of the House of Representatives as contained in Rule XXIII of the 116th Congress. According to the Code, Members of the House of Representatives are required to adhere to the rules in performance of their duties as Members of the House of Representatives. It is noteworthy that the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 also contains rules on disclosure of financial interests by Members of the Congress. It is said that the late Senator, John McCain, whom you would all recall, who was also a presidential candidate, was such a strict follower of rules of declaration of interests that he recused himself from voting on alcohol related legislation even though he ran no risk of being reprimanded by the Ethics Committee. In the 1980s and 1990s, he is said to have recused himself from voting on Bills requiring producers to provide Government warning labels on bottles because in his view, his wife having been one of the owners of the main alcohol distributing company in the country, posed potential conflict of his interests in the matter. On matters declaration of interest, it is said his conscience led him. Hon. Members, looking at the Parliament of Australia, in particular the House of Representatives, matters of pecuniary interests of Members are governed by Sections 44 and 45 of their Constitution and Standing Orders 134 and 231, which prohibit Members of the House of Representatives from participating in matters in which they have pecuniary interests. The The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}