Mark McGowan sees no issue with his ministers and MPs accepting hospitality from Tabcorp, weeks before the government restarted the sale process to sell its own betting agency TAB.

The WA Premier was quizzed about Tabcorp this morning after the betting agency gifted two Labor ministers and three MPs tickets to last year’s AFL Grand Final in Perth. The betting agency is the frontrunner in the purchase of TAB.

McGowan suggested MPs will be seen as “out of touch” if they did not accept tickets to hospitality and sporting events.

“Look, every business is in some way related to government, there’s always approvals, there are different things, there’s taxes, everything,” he said.

“If members of parliament don’t go to these things, you’re accused of not being in touch, if you do go, then you’re accused of accepting gifts… you can’t really win.”