The authority can use this information to support transparent decision-making in managing tickets and hospitality that arise from sponsorship and grant arrangements.
It is intended to complement detailed guidance from the Department of Finance (State Supply Commission) Sponsorship in Government Guidelines.
Can you relate the requirement for tickets and hospitality to a public purpose?
- Treat tickets and hospitality as purchased resources that are only used for a public purpose.
- Provide officers with guidance about the expectations associated with their attendance for business purposes and on situations where it may be inappropriate to accept or extend hospitality due to conflict of interest risks.
- Establish practices to acquit and evaluate the use of tickets, hospitality and other benefits against the authority or government objectives.
Have you sought to minimise the risk that tickets and hospitality are seen as providing personal benefit for officers involved?
- Openly discourage host organisations from offering tickets and hospitality above the minimum required for business purposes.
- When tickets and hospitality are necessary, be conservative when negotiating their inclusion.
- Be mindful of community expectations – certain types of tickets and hospitality may be perceived as extravagant or unnecessary.
Have you recorded decisions and transactional information to ensure transparency?
- Record the dollar value for tickets and hospitality in the sponsorship and grant arrangements.
- Register the nature, number, allocation and use of tickets, hospitality and other similar resources used (and not used).
- Make sure fringe benefits tax accounting and reporting obligations can be met.
Are appropriate approvals and controls in place?
- Separate decision-making associated with negotiating any ‘benefits’ from duties associated with the allocation and receipt of any perceived ‘benefits’.
- Ensure the senior leader is fully informed and endorses the arrangements.
- Regularly review arrangements against the advice above.
