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Hanson, Hinch did not disclose TV donations

Charitable donations paid on behalf of politicians for breakfast TV appearances.

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Pauline Hanson and Derryn Hinch have attracted headlines today for not disclosing charitable donations paid by Sunrise, for regular appearances.

TV Tonight understands Hanson asked for Meals on Wheels to receive a payment from Seven when she was a regular on the show, while donations on behalf of former Senator Derryn Hinch went to Wintringham, a Victorian aged care provider.

But the ABC reports neither declared on Senate’s Register of Interests that a third party was making a donation on their behalf.

Hanson, who has not appeared on Sunrise since a stoush with David Koch following the Christchurch massacre, is now a regular on Today.

“Pauline Hanson is not being paid for any appearance on the Today show,” a Nine spokesperson said in a statement.

“A small donation will be made to a worthy charity in her electorate.”

In 2016 Sunrise confirmed a charitable donation on her behalf but not when speaking about her own campaign. She told Buzzfeed, “…I’m not saying whether I am (being paid) or not. I don’t see it is any of your or the public’s business whether I am paid or not. There’s a lot of appearances that I make on TV I can tell you, I don’t get paid.”

Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese also do a weekly segment on Today but according to their spokespeople, neither receives payments nor donations to charities. Nor do Joel Fitzgibbon and Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce, who appear together in a weekly segment on Sunrise.

A spokesman for Senator Hanson said, “Donations made on behalf of networks Nine and Seven to charities nominated by Senator Hanson are not reportable.”

Seven declined to comment on the amount of the donations.

4 Responses

  1. Hanson and Hinch didn’t derive any benefit, so there is nothing to declare. The networks profit from having them on and they simply asked them to donate to worthwhile charities in exchange. They didn’t even publicise or use the fact. They were simply using their celebrity to do some good. Good on them.

  2. They should be made to report every single donation. Doesn’t matter what political party you belong to and it doesn’t matter what amount.

  3. Christopher Pyne and Richard Marles weren’t paid by Sky for hosting their own weekly half-hour show. Why are Seven and Nine paying for Hanson to appear for about 4 minutes a week in the first place?

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