In Denmark the national parliament have a central registry where the members can chose to have details regarding their private finances published. This includes stocks, jobs, positions, and all other affairs that may concievably affect their voting habits.
At this time 133 of 179 members have chosen to do so. Recently, our PM announced that in the future he would not appoint any ministers who had not allowed his or her personal details to be published. This will hopefully result in even more members giving the go ahead. At least it has raised a lot of attention for the website (e.g. I didn't know about it before ), and I think it speaks volumes for the transparency of our current governing institution.
So I was wondering if there are other countries with something similar, or if you have to rely on reporters eventually digging up the connections?

australian members of parliament are required to disclose any and all info about their private dealings, including the particulars you mentioned. they are also required to sell or remove private interests if there is a clear conflict of interest. so i guess we\'re already one up on the danes

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Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN australian members of parliament are required to disclose any and all info about their private dealings, including the particulars you mentioned. they are also required to sell or remove private interests if there is a clear conflict of interest. so i guess we're already one up on the danes

dont believe all you read. many of our polies have been caught out in conflicts of interest... and they continue to get away with it...

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Originally posted by jeronemango dont believe all you read. many of our polies have been caught out in conflicts of interest... and they continue to get away with it...

i didnt say it worked. i said we have the procedures in place

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Actually im not sure about sweden, but i think we have something similar. At least I know we have one of the worlds most open governments, for example every letter that goes into, or any document created by, any government instutution, can be requested by any person (you dont even need to be a swedish citizen/resident), at no cost.

I also think that any person can go to our "IRS" (Riksskatteverket) and request any information about personal finances, about any person. But i guess there might be any central register for all the MPs too, donno.

quote:

Ethics in Government Act - Title I: Legislative Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements - Requires each Member of Congress, each Congressional officer and employee who is compensated at a rate equal to or more than the pay rate for grade GS-16, and any candidate for the office of Member to file an annual financial disclosure report (hereinafter referred to as "report") containing specified information including: (1) sources amounts of income, gifts, and reimbursements; (2) the identity and approximate value of property held and liabilities owed; (3) transactions in property, commodities, and securities; and (4) certain financial interests of a spouse or dependent. Provides that such report be filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, for the employee's respective House. Directs the Clerk and the Secretary to: (1) send a copy of each report of a Member or candiate to the appropriate State officer of their State; (2) submit each report for review by either the Committee of Official Conduct of the House or the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate; and (3) make such reports generally available to the public. . . . Title II: Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements - Requires the President, Vice President, each presidential or vice- presidential candidate, each military officer rated at 0-7 or higher, each presidential appointee whose Senate confirmation is pending, and each employee of the Executive branch who is compensated at a pay rate equal to or greater than that for grade GS-16 to file such report as described in Title I of this Act which shall include additional information regarding positions held with business entities, and agreements with respect to future employment and continuation of payments by former employers. . . . Title III: Judicial Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements - Requires the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, each Federal court judge, judges of the courts of the District of Columbia, any presidential nominee for judicial office whose Senate confirmation is pending, and each judicial employee who is compensated at a pay rate equal to or greater than that for grade GS-16 to file such report as described in Title II. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdque...95:SN00555:@@@D

And it blabs on with all the legal mumbo jumbo.

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Retro ...

occrider doesnt believe in short answers

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Originally posted by josh4 occrider doesnt believe in short answers

I am a master of brevity considering I only said 10 words. I let others do the talking for me because most times, they say it far better than I.

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Retro ...

Yes, well, here we have something similar, but that's why all our ministers have given their belongings to their family members. So our prime minister's only possesion is a 40m^2 apartment and a Renault from 1968. But that's why his wife has several houses among which is a 200m^2 villa, and a Mercedes 600SL.

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1+1=10

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Originally posted by St_Andrew Actually im not sure about sweden, but i think we have something similar. At least I know we have one of the worlds most open governments, for example every letter that goes into, or any document created by, any government instutution, can be requested by any person (you dont even need to be a swedish citizen/resident), at no cost. I also think that any person can go to our "IRS" (Riksskatteverket) and request any information about personal finances, about any person. But i guess there might be any central register for all the MPs too, donno.

mhm, that's correct. And I don't know if it sucks, or if it's a good thing. I think, mostly, it's there for the media-folks.

And we're the only country in the world with liberty of press/speech etc written in the constitution. And that feckin' rocks, big-time. kick-ass.

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Last edited by PutBoy on May-25-2005 at 16:25

quote:

Originally posted by occrider I am a master of brevity considering I only said 10 words. I let others do the talking for me because most times, they say it far better than I.

I've never met an english professor that does not include quotes towards the word count of an essay.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not really surprised at the countries mentioned so far, except maybe for Croatia. I would still like to know about other countries, and there's still a lot of nationalities present in the forum which haven't posted.

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Originally posted by trancaholic Recently, our PM announced that in the future he would not appoint any ministers who had not allowed his or her personal details to be published.

Oh yeah. I seemingly misunderstood this. The requirement is not only to have allowed the personal details to be published. The details of the prospective minister's family should be public as well.