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| Tony Abbott backs Bronwyn Bishop as travel claim faces investigation | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s $5,000 travel claim for helicopter charter to attend a Liberal party fundraiser will be investigated by the Department of Finance before a possible referral to the Australian Federal Police. | Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s $5,000 travel claim for helicopter charter to attend a Liberal party fundraiser will be investigated by the Department of Finance before a possible referral to the Australian Federal Police. |
| The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has called on the AFP to investigate after the claim was revealed. Bishop quickly agreed to pay back the $5,227 in taxpayers’ money, plus a mandatory 25% penalty, while denying any wrongdoing. | The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has called on the AFP to investigate after the claim was revealed. Bishop quickly agreed to pay back the $5,227 in taxpayers’ money, plus a mandatory 25% penalty, while denying any wrongdoing. |
| The federal police said on Friday night the finance department, which oversees government expenditure, would conduct the initial investigation and decide on further action, including whether a criminal investigation should take place, under the Minchin Protocol. | The federal police said on Friday night the finance department, which oversees government expenditure, would conduct the initial investigation and decide on further action, including whether a criminal investigation should take place, under the Minchin Protocol. |
| The AFP said it received a number of complaints from the public concerning Bishop’s use of entitlements. | The AFP said it received a number of complaints from the public concerning Bishop’s use of entitlements. |
| Related: The sniff test: an ode to Madam Speaker | First Dog on the Moon | Related: The sniff test: an ode to Madam Speaker | First Dog on the Moon |
| The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, says the investigation will be done at “arm’s length” from the political level of government and claimed Labor was trying to “politically exploit” the situation by referring the matter to the AFP. | The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, says the investigation will be done at “arm’s length” from the political level of government and claimed Labor was trying to “politically exploit” the situation by referring the matter to the AFP. |
| Other senior government colleagues of Bishop have either distanced themselves or been openly critical of the claim for a 90km flight from Melbourne to a Geelong golf club for a party function. | Other senior government colleagues of Bishop have either distanced themselves or been openly critical of the claim for a 90km flight from Melbourne to a Geelong golf club for a party function. |
| The treasurer, Joe Hockey, in a radio interview earlier this week agreed the expenses claim did not pass “the sniff test”. | The treasurer, Joe Hockey, in a radio interview earlier this week agreed the expenses claim did not pass “the sniff test”. |
| “Look, instinctively it doesn’t,” Hockey told 2UE. | “Look, instinctively it doesn’t,” Hockey told 2UE. |
| Liberal party frontbencher Steve Ciobo also said it was not a good look. “I can certainly understand that on the face of what’s been presented so far it would seem to be of concern,” he said. | Liberal party frontbencher Steve Ciobo also said it was not a good look. “I can certainly understand that on the face of what’s been presented so far it would seem to be of concern,” he said. |
| Shorten earlier called on Abbott to say whether he continued to have confidence in the Speaker, describing it as “a test of his leadership”. | Shorten earlier called on Abbott to say whether he continued to have confidence in the Speaker, describing it as “a test of his leadership”. |
| “If Mr Abbott does not repudiate the actions of his captain’s pick, the Speaker of the parliament, then he is effectively endorsing a view which says that they are so important they don’t even have to drive on the same roads as the rest of Australians,” Shorten said. | “If Mr Abbott does not repudiate the actions of his captain’s pick, the Speaker of the parliament, then he is effectively endorsing a view which says that they are so important they don’t even have to drive on the same roads as the rest of Australians,” Shorten said. |
| On Saturday Abbott said that he would not ask Bishop to step down, insisting she has his confidence as Speaker. | |
| Abbott said Bishop has admitted an “error of judgment” in chartering a helicopter for a Liberal fundraiser and had repaid the money. | |
| “She’s a good speaker, she has my confidence,” he told reporters in Queensland. | |
| The opposition wants Bishop to release the form she signed to claim $5,227.27 for chartered flights from Melbourne to Geelong and back on 5 November 2014. | The opposition wants Bishop to release the form she signed to claim $5,227.27 for chartered flights from Melbourne to Geelong and back on 5 November 2014. |
| A spokesman for Bishop declined on Friday to clarify the details of the form the Speaker filled in, but defended her conduct. | A spokesman for Bishop declined on Friday to clarify the details of the form the Speaker filled in, but defended her conduct. |
| Related: Bronwyn Bishop vows to stay in office despite referral of helicopter trip to police | Related: Bronwyn Bishop vows to stay in office despite referral of helicopter trip to police |
| “The Speaker’s not going to make any more comment until the police have considered the referral and she stands by her previous statement,” the spokesman said. | “The Speaker’s not going to make any more comment until the police have considered the referral and she stands by her previous statement,” the spokesman said. |
| She also did not intend to stand down while the AFP considered the matter. | She also did not intend to stand down while the AFP considered the matter. |
| The AFP pursued a previous speaker, Peter Slipper, over his use of taxi vouchers to visit wineries outside Canberra in 2010. | The AFP pursued a previous speaker, Peter Slipper, over his use of taxi vouchers to visit wineries outside Canberra in 2010. |
| In 2014 a magistrate convicted Slipper of dishonestly causing a risk of loss to the commonwealth and ordered him to repay the $954. | In 2014 a magistrate convicted Slipper of dishonestly causing a risk of loss to the commonwealth and ordered him to repay the $954. |
| But Slipper won a legal battle to overturn the conviction in February 2015. In doing so, the Australian Capital Territory supreme court highlighted considerable uncertainty over the definition of parliamentary business. | But Slipper won a legal battle to overturn the conviction in February 2015. In doing so, the Australian Capital Territory supreme court highlighted considerable uncertainty over the definition of parliamentary business. |
| Slipper repeatedly argued he was a victim of double standards given other MPs had been allowed to repay expenses under the Minchin Protocol. | Slipper repeatedly argued he was a victim of double standards given other MPs had been allowed to repay expenses under the Minchin Protocol. |
| When sexual harassment and entitlement misuse claims were levelled at Slipper, Abbott called on the then prime minister, Julia Gillard, to ensure the Speaker stood down and also called for an AFP investigation. | When sexual harassment and entitlement misuse claims were levelled at Slipper, Abbott called on the then prime minister, Julia Gillard, to ensure the Speaker stood down and also called for an AFP investigation. |
| Related: Bronwyn Bishop agrees to pay back cost of $5,000 helicopter trip | Related: Bronwyn Bishop agrees to pay back cost of $5,000 helicopter trip |
| “It is untenable that a member of parliament facing serious allegations of sexual harassment and criminal misuse of entitlements should hold one of the most senior positions in the Australian parliament,” Abbott, who was opposition leader, said at the time. | “It is untenable that a member of parliament facing serious allegations of sexual harassment and criminal misuse of entitlements should hold one of the most senior positions in the Australian parliament,” Abbott, who was opposition leader, said at the time. |
| “In the same way that ministers in the past have been stood down from the ministry while matters were being investigated, the prime minister must ensure that the Speaker stand aside until this matter is resolved.” | “In the same way that ministers in the past have been stood down from the ministry while matters were being investigated, the prime minister must ensure that the Speaker stand aside until this matter is resolved.” |
| It now appears that the Liberal party has removed from its website the transcript of Abbott calling for Slipper to step down while the AFP investigated the claims against him. | It now appears that the Liberal party has removed from its website the transcript of Abbott calling for Slipper to step down while the AFP investigated the claims against him. |
| Check this out. RT @HogesyHoges: I wonder what was here that was deleted overnight? http://t.co/tmWknslZAi Found it: https://t.co/3SdBEb8OoK | Check this out. RT @HogesyHoges: I wonder what was here that was deleted overnight? http://t.co/tmWknslZAi Found it: https://t.co/3SdBEb8OoK |
| Independent senator Nick Xenophon says he will seek parliament’s support for an independent entitlements umpire to which the public can take complaints. | Independent senator Nick Xenophon says he will seek parliament’s support for an independent entitlements umpire to which the public can take complaints. |
| He plans to introduce a bill which will require politicians to submit their travel disclosures every 30 days and make their travel details public. | He plans to introduce a bill which will require politicians to submit their travel disclosures every 30 days and make their travel details public. |
| “This whole choppergate saga needs to be a catalyst for real change in terms of parliamentary entitlements,” Senator Xenophon told Sky News. | “This whole choppergate saga needs to be a catalyst for real change in terms of parliamentary entitlements,” Senator Xenophon told Sky News. |
| But he stopped short of suggesting Bishop should step down from the role. | But he stopped short of suggesting Bishop should step down from the role. |