Cabinet Manual

 

Product endorsement

2.87 No Minister should endorse in any media any product or service. Ministers may, however, appear in party political advertisements or in non-political advertisements or announcements in the public interest (promoting, for example, water safety), where no fee would be expected or accepted.

2.88 Ministers receive many invitations for events and speaking engagements. Ministers should carefully consider which invitations they will accept, and try to honour invitations from a variety of organisations.

2.89 When accepting an invitation, a Minister should inform the organisation that it may not:

  1. use any photos taken of the Minister at the event; or
  2. publicise the event,

in a way that could be perceived as an endorsement by the Minister of the organisation, or its products or services.

2.90 In speeches, it is appropriate for a Minister to speak positively about the objectives and achievements of an organisation or business. It is not appropriate for a Minister to explicitly promote that organisation, or its products or services.

Fees and other payments

2.91 Ministers often appear at conferences or other gatherings to explain and discuss government policies and plans. This is an integral function of government, for which the state would expect to meet expenses and no appearance fee would be expected or accepted.

2.92 If an appearance fee or other personal payment for any non-ministerial activity is offered to a Minister, the Minister may accept it only with the agreement of the Prime Minister. Such a payment must be declared in that member's annual disclosure of pecuniary interests. Unsolicited payments should be returned. With the agreement of the Prime Minister, fees may be accepted and donated directly to a recognised charity, but must still be declared (with an explanatory note).

2.93 Where travel and accommodation expenses are incurred by a Minister undertaking non-ministerial activities, they may be met by:

  1. the organisers;
  2. the Minister personally; or
  3. the Crown, initially, in which case reimbursement must be made to a Crown bank account by the person or organisers concerned.

2.94 Ministers asked to address fundraising functions for their own electorate or that of another member of Parliament may donate any fee received to the electorate organisation involved.

Business and professional activities

2.95 Because they are expected to devote their time and talent to their official business, Ministers, while holding office, must not take any active part in the day-to-day management or operation of any business.

2.96 Provided no conflict of interest arises, Ministers are not required to dissolve any professional partnerships, allow practising certificates to lapse, or dispose of a business. They may also continue to advise in relation to family trusts, or similar matters of personal interest.