Australian politicians frequently receive gifts and perks from dignitaries and officials, and some of them are more eyebrow-raising than others.
Parliamentary rules require politicians to declare any gifts valued at more than $750, which are recorded on the publicly available register of interests.
From an ornamental sceptre and a statue to concert tickets and hats, here are some of the more notable gifts our politicians have received.
Labor MP Julian Hill has declared a 75-centimetre-tall statue of himself sitting on a throne.
“Statue of me received from a constituent Mr Haidary. 56cm high. Seated on a 75cm high throne. Made in Iran,” he wrote in his declaration.
He added: “Value: Priceless.”
Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce has declared $750 worth of made-to-order country trucker hats, and another bit of headwear valued at $500.
He is no stranger to a good headpiece and often rocks a wide-brimmed hat at press conferences.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen was gifted a signature licence plate by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who ran alongside Kamala Harris in their failed campaign for the White House.
Bowen’s surname was plastered onto a Minnesota license plate.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton declared tickets to Swan Lake ballet, an ornamental sceptre and an ornamental peacock.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt received four tickets to see US popstar Taylor Swift when she performed in Melbourne, and Nationals counterpart David Littleproud declared a Christmas ham.
And to our prime minister himself, Anthony Albanese has received vinyl records and t-shirts from former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and a bamboo bicycle from former Indonesian president Joko Widodo.
A known music-lover, he also received tickets to see Jimmy Barnes and Midnight Oil.
