Politicians and their families could keep their snouts in a generous trough as the prime minister dismisses calls to rein in travel perks with a growing furore over MP expenses.
After Communications Minister Anika Wells was criticised for charging taxpayers nearly $100,000 for flights to the United Nations, the opposition has indicated it would be open to trimming travel entitlements.
With more politicians being roped into the spiralling expenses furore, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said she was happy to consider changes to the rules, but urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to investigate whether Ms Wells breached the ministerial code of conduct.
“She needs to step aside while this review happens,” Ms Ley told 2GB radio on Thursday.
Mr Albanese brushed off questions about whether travel perks were too generous, but didn’t shut the door on reforms to the system.
“We’re aware that issues are there and that taxpayers have a right to expect value for money,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“It’s important … that I don’t influence that from the top.”
While the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority is responsible for enforcing travel rules, politicians have the ultimate say over how the agency operates.
Ms Wells believes she has followed regulations, but has referred her travel expenses to the agency for investigation.
Politicians are allowed to claim travel expenses if their official duties are the “dominant purpose” of the trip.
This means they can still attend other, non-political events, as long as their parliamentary duties are the main focus of their travel.
Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie and Labor minister Don Farrell are the latest politicians whose travel claims are under scrutiny.
Senator McKenzie appears to have billed taxpayers to travel to the Super Netball grand final on August 3, 2024.
She was gifted two tickets to the match and a celebratory lunch, according to her register of interests.
On the day of the final, Senator McKenzie claimed a Melbourne to Adelaide flight worth $1102.15.
The next day she flew back to Melbourne, costing another $225.80.
She billed hundreds of dollars for chauffeured COMCAR travel and claimed a $156.07 overnight parking bill.
Senator McKenzie has not held a portfolio related to sport since 2019.
The avid netball fan argued she was invited to sporting events because of her role as opposition infrastructure spokeswoman.
“I’m not invited because I’m Bridget McKenzie from Wodonga or for my sterling personality, it’s because I am shadow minister for infrastructure and we look after things like stadiums,” she told Nine’s Today program.
The senator’s office said she had attended meetings and community events in Bendigo the day before the final and was at Sheepvention in the Victorian town of Hamilton the day after, but did not provide details of other official business on the date of the match.
Senator Farrell has come under fire for billing taxpayers more than $90,000 for family reunion travel since Labor took office in 2022.
The trade minister’s travel claims included a trip to Uluru, a visit to Sydney where he attended the opera, and to Melbourne while a theatre premiere was being held.