Former Foreign Minister Bi Xiaopu accepted an expensive pair of Jimmy Choo shoes but failed to pay the required fee.
After accepting a pair of shoes designed by high-end fashion designer Jimmy Choo, Bi Xiaopu may have violated minister`s strict requirement to pay for luxury gifts.
But the former foreign minister refused to answer questions about the gift, insisting that she had complied with her obligations, although parliamentary documents raised questions about her claims.
Bi Xiaopu`s declaration of interest was updated in March, referring to her acceptance of a pair of "shoes with indigenous designs" from Grand Master Lineage.
Grand Master Lineage is a Chinese company linked to Jimmy Choo, which designs shoes worn by stars around the world.
The Malaysian-born designer gained fanatical adoration after his shoes appeared in the sex city of a popular TV series.
Last year Choo teamed up with Peter Farmer, an Australian native artist, to design a collection of shoes with indigenous art.
Farmer says there are only a few pairs of shoes with his native-style design, estimated at $25,000 each.
It is not clear whether the shoes Grand Master Lineage gave Bi Xiaopu is this, or a slightly cheaper another.
Bi Xiaopu is reluctant to answer whether the shoes she declared in March were designed by Farmer.
Fairfax Media can`t find any Jimmy Choo-style shoes on high-end Chinese and Western websites.
The retail price of regular shoes designed by the Jimmy Choo also ranges from $850 to $3495.
According to government gift rules, federal minister can retain private gifts as long as the gift value is not more than 300 yuan.
If the gift value exceeds $300, minister must pay the difference between the actual value and the $300.
Minister must submit a form with the value of the gift, as well as a personal cheque or bill to the public fund collection office.
The evidence submitted to the Senate shows that Bi Xiaopu did not pay 300 yuan for the shoes.
"the Prime Minister and the cabinet have no record of the item being declared as a gift in excess of the approved value," recent documents show.
"it is minister`s business to declare gifts that exceed the permitted value."
Asked about evidence of the value of the shoes, how they were valued, and evidence of payment, a spokesman for Bi Xiaopu said: "councillor Bi Xiaopu has complied with the requirements for declaring personal interests."
The parliamentary rules she referred to as a declaration of interest are two different things from the government minister`s requirement to accept gifts worth more than $300.
In a 2015 media interview, Choo said Bi Xiaopu was the woman he was most willing to make shoes for.
He said the reason is very simple, "because she has seen Choo many times, she likes his shoes, appreciate his design, he is very grateful for that."
