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Queensland Labor backbencher, Arch Bevis, will be the most unpopular man in Canberra if his move to have press gallery journalists declare their pecuniary interests gets up next week.
All MPs are required to publicly declare their pecuniary interests and those of their spouses and dependent children and Bevis reckons the same rules should apply to those who report on the pollies.
"Transparency and accountability are essential features in a democratic and free society," he said. Press gallery president Malcolm Farr, of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, rejects the proposal, saying Bevis is picking on Canberra journos while ignoring those based outside the national capital who influence public debate. "What about Andrew Bolt, Paul Kelly and Piers Akerman," he barked at Strewth. While traditionally journos are always broke, the property boom has made many – including Canberra-based hacks who have holiday shacks on the NSW south coast – paper millionaires.