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| Bronwyn Bishop 'on probation' over helicopter flight, says Tony Abbott | Bronwyn Bishop 'on probation' over helicopter flight, says Tony Abbott |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Tony Abbott has declared Speaker Bronwyn Bishop “on probation” over her decision to charge taxpayers $5,227 to charter a helicopter to take her to a Liberal party fundraiser. | Tony Abbott has declared Speaker Bronwyn Bishop “on probation” over her decision to charge taxpayers $5,227 to charter a helicopter to take her to a Liberal party fundraiser. |
| Abbott said while Bishop’s behaviour was “out of line”, she had repaid the money and had been a “good servant” of the country and the Coalition, so she had his confidence. | Abbott said while Bishop’s behaviour was “out of line”, she had repaid the money and had been a “good servant” of the country and the Coalition, so she had his confidence. |
| “Obviously the action she was responsible for with the helicopter was out of line; it was out of line,” he said. | “Obviously the action she was responsible for with the helicopter was out of line; it was out of line,” he said. |
| Related: Expenses row: Coalition and Labor trade blows over Bronwyn Bishop's future | Related: Expenses row: Coalition and Labor trade blows over Bronwyn Bishop's future |
| “Yes, she has been a strong Speaker, she has been a good servant of our country, she has been a good servant of the Coalition and so she does have my confidence – but, like everyone who has done something like this, inevitably for a period of time, they are on probation.” | “Yes, she has been a strong Speaker, she has been a good servant of our country, she has been a good servant of the Coalition and so she does have my confidence – but, like everyone who has done something like this, inevitably for a period of time, they are on probation.” |
| The prime minister, who suggested after the failed leadership spill motion in February that he himself was on probation, did not say how long the Speaker’s probation would last. Bishop is a close political ally of the prime minister. | |
| Assistant infrastructure minister Jamie Briggs, said Bishop had “not acted in accordance with community standards” and people were talking about the issue. | |
| Briggs said the matter was raised at the under-8s football game in suburban Adelaide where he acted as goal umpire on Saturday. | |
| “When I arrived, people asked if I arrived in a helicopter,” he told Sky News. | |
| He said Abbott was reflecting the “unhappiness we all have with what was a big error”. | |
| Briggs defended Joe Hockey’s assessment on Friday when the treasurer agreed with an interviewer that the helicopter charter did not pass the “sniff test”. | |
| On Saturday, when asked about the treasurer’s comments, Bishop said: “Joe says some funny things sometimes doesn’t he? I think he said poor people don’t drive cars or something”. | |
| Asked if it was the start of the end of her speakership, Briggs said an investigation was underway. | |
| “Joe picked the politics and the community sentiment exactly right on this. It’s always difficult to admit you have made a big mistake and Bronwyn has now admitted she has made a big mistake and I think that is right. It has caused a great deal of community discussion and it’s unfortunate.” | |
| On Saturday she said the helicopter trip was “an error of judgment”, but she stopped short of apologising. | |
| “I think the biggest apology one can make is to repay the money,” Bishop told reporters. | “I think the biggest apology one can make is to repay the money,” Bishop told reporters. |
| Abbott was asked about his previous comments about the Speaker upholding parliamentary standards, in regard to former speaker Peter Slipper. | Abbott was asked about his previous comments about the Speaker upholding parliamentary standards, in regard to former speaker Peter Slipper. |
| Asked how Bishop was upholding parliamentary standards when she had “misused” taxpayers’ money, Abbott said: “Fair question.” But he said people should keep a “sense of proportion” about the Speaker’s actions, when compared with stage two of the West Connex road project in Sydney, which he launched on Monday. | Asked how Bishop was upholding parliamentary standards when she had “misused” taxpayers’ money, Abbott said: “Fair question.” But he said people should keep a “sense of proportion” about the Speaker’s actions, when compared with stage two of the West Connex road project in Sydney, which he launched on Monday. |
| “Bronwyn has admitted ... it’s a serious error of judgement, she’s repaid the money with a serious penalty, the matter is now being looked at by the Department of Finance, as is appropriate in these sorts of matters,” Abbott said. | “Bronwyn has admitted ... it’s a serious error of judgement, she’s repaid the money with a serious penalty, the matter is now being looked at by the Department of Finance, as is appropriate in these sorts of matters,” Abbott said. |
| “I can really understand why people are unhappy about this. Frankly, I am unhappy about this as well, but I would ask for people to keep a sense of proportion here. Let’s face it, today we are talking about a $15bn [West Connex] project that will transform the lives of Sydneysiders.” | “I can really understand why people are unhappy about this. Frankly, I am unhappy about this as well, but I would ask for people to keep a sense of proportion here. Let’s face it, today we are talking about a $15bn [West Connex] project that will transform the lives of Sydneysiders.” |
| Abbott said he had had a number of “long conversations” with Bishop about the matter and while he said she was “very, very contrite”, he refused to urge her to apologise to the Australian people. | Abbott said he had had a number of “long conversations” with Bishop about the matter and while he said she was “very, very contrite”, he refused to urge her to apologise to the Australian people. |
| 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 |
| “She has repaid the money with a penalty and, as she said on the weekend, obviously she is sorry, obviously she is apologetic. She hasn’t just said sorry, she has made amends and then some by paying back the money,” he said. | “She has repaid the money with a penalty and, as she said on the weekend, obviously she is sorry, obviously she is apologetic. She hasn’t just said sorry, she has made amends and then some by paying back the money,” he said. |
| “Despite this serious lapse of judgement, Bronwyn has a long and distinguished history as a servant of our country, as a servant of our party, and she will learn a very salutary lesson ... she has certainly copped a justifiable hiding over the last few days. | “Despite this serious lapse of judgement, Bronwyn has a long and distinguished history as a servant of our country, as a servant of our party, and she will learn a very salutary lesson ... she has certainly copped a justifiable hiding over the last few days. |
| “We will all learn the lesson, and the fundamental lesson is we are expected to be focused absolutely on the people of Australia and their betterment and nothing else.” | “We will all learn the lesson, and the fundamental lesson is we are expected to be focused absolutely on the people of Australia and their betterment and nothing else.” |
| While Bishop has repaid the cost of the helicopter flight from Melbourne to Geelong, she revealed she had used the allowance for two other charter “small fixed wing” flights. | While Bishop has repaid the cost of the helicopter flight from Melbourne to Geelong, she revealed she had used the allowance for two other charter “small fixed wing” flights. |
| While she maintains the support of her leader, Bishop’s colleagues Joe Hockey and Greg Hunt have criticised her use of expenses. Former prominent Liberals such as Peter Costello, John Hewson and Jeff Kennett have also been critical. | While she maintains the support of her leader, Bishop’s colleagues Joe Hockey and Greg Hunt have criticised her use of expenses. Former prominent Liberals such as Peter Costello, John Hewson and Jeff Kennett have also been critical. |
| In May last year, it was revealed Bishop had used her Speaker’s office for political fundraising functions. | In May last year, it was revealed Bishop had used her Speaker’s office for political fundraising functions. |
| At the time, her spokesman said she held private functions from time to time, just as other MPs and senators did, but former Labor speakers Harry Jenkins and Anna Burke said they never used their office to hold political fundraisers. | At the time, her spokesman said she held private functions from time to time, just as other MPs and senators did, but former Labor speakers Harry Jenkins and Anna Burke said they never used their office to hold political fundraisers. |
| The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has urged Abbott to intervene and ask Bishop to stand aside until the matter is investigated. | The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has urged Abbott to intervene and ask Bishop to stand aside until the matter is investigated. |
| On Sunday, her spokesman told Fairfax that Bishop did not check her expenses before she signed off on the report and that her staff reconciled the report against the Speaker’s diary. | On Sunday, her spokesman told Fairfax that Bishop did not check her expenses before she signed off on the report and that her staff reconciled the report against the Speaker’s diary. |