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Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley’s office is investigating whether she failed to declare expenses paid for by the Palestinian Authority during a 2011 trip to the occupied West Bank.
Ley was joined on that trip by other politicians, including Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou and former Labor MP Jill Hall, who made declarations in their pecuniary interest register on gifted transport, accommodation and meals, Sky News reported on Friday.
But Ley reportedly did not.
Ley’s office told SBS News in a statement it was looking into the matter.
“If correct, this would have been an administrative oversight,” the statement said.
“Sussan has never hidden from the fact that she was on the trip, she has spoken about it publicly on a number of occasions.”
Ley was once co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine — an informal cross-party group that aimed to raise the experiences of Palestinian people.
She was the sole voice in parliament discussing Palestinian autonomy when the House of Representatives celebrated Israel’s 60th anniversary in 2008.
She has also previously spoken in favour of Palestinian statehood, saying in 2011 following her visit that such a move would “give heart to the ordinary people of the West Bank and Gaza”.
The Palestinian Authority serves as the de facto government for parts of the West Bank, after it was forced out of Gaza by militant group Hamas in 2007.
Some 146 of 193 United Nations member states recognise Palestinian statehood.
The United States, Britain, and Australia do not, although last year that Australia wanted a clear timeline for statehood recognition.
Days after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 — in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 others taken hostage, according to the Israeli government — Ley said calls for restraint from Israel were “disgraceful”.
She her remarks “should not and cannot be taken as any negative expression against the Palestinian people”.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza following the October 7 attack has killed more than 46,000 people in the Palestinian enclave, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
It was announced on Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreeing to release hostages, halt fighting and allow for more aid to reach people in Gaza.
But Israel later said it had , blaming Hamas for the hold-up, as Palestinian authorities said Israeli airstrikes had killed dozens in Gaza since the announcement — reports Israel said it was looking into.
