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| Tony Abbott says MPs' party fundraiser expenses claims fair, but urges prudence | Tony Abbott says MPs' party fundraiser expenses claims fair, but urges prudence |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has defended politicians’ use of public money to travel to and from party fundraisers, but has warned that politicians must act within “community expectations”. | The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has defended politicians’ use of public money to travel to and from party fundraisers, but has warned that politicians must act within “community expectations”. |
| The former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop came under fire for charging taxpayers more than $5,000 for chartering a helicopter to take her from Melbourne to Geelong to attend a Liberal party fundraiser. | |
| Related: Labor's Tony Burke made two free trips to China with lobby firm last year | Related: Labor's Tony Burke made two free trips to China with lobby firm last year |
| When announcing Bishop’s resignation as Speaker on Sunday, Abbott said the government was committed to a “root-and-branch” review of entitlements. | When announcing Bishop’s resignation as Speaker on Sunday, Abbott said the government was committed to a “root-and-branch” review of entitlements. |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, on Thursday wrote to the prime minister asking him to include the use of special-purpose aircraft in the review. | |
| The spotlight on entitlements has fallen on several senior opposition figures. On Thursday the Australian newspaper reported that Labor frontbenchers jointly claimed at least $13,000 to attend the party’s Light on the Hill fundraiser in Bathurst last year. | The spotlight on entitlements has fallen on several senior opposition figures. On Thursday the Australian newspaper reported that Labor frontbenchers jointly claimed at least $13,000 to attend the party’s Light on the Hill fundraiser in Bathurst last year. |
| On Thursday Abbott told Macquarie Radio that using government-funded commonwealth cars, known as comcars, for fundraisers should not be completely out of the question. | On Thursday Abbott told Macquarie Radio that using government-funded commonwealth cars, known as comcars, for fundraisers should not be completely out of the question. |
| “Do I think it’s wrong for a member of parliament to go to a fundraiser and maybe use a comcar to do it? Not necessarily. Should they use a helicopter to get there? Well, plainly that’s outside community expectations,” Abbott said. | “Do I think it’s wrong for a member of parliament to go to a fundraiser and maybe use a comcar to do it? Not necessarily. Should they use a helicopter to get there? Well, plainly that’s outside community expectations,” Abbott said. |
| Parliamentary guidelines state that MPs should not use comcars for anything other than official parliamentary or committee business. | Parliamentary guidelines state that MPs should not use comcars for anything other than official parliamentary or committee business. |
| Shorten said he was entitled to make claims for the Light on the Hill fundraiser because it was a “public event”. | |
| “Every year the local Labor party branch [in Bathurst] hold a public lecture and invite people from the Labor movement and indeed beyond that to give a talk,” he said. | “Every year the local Labor party branch [in Bathurst] hold a public lecture and invite people from the Labor movement and indeed beyond that to give a talk,” he said. |
| “I understand that some money is raised which goes back into boosting the lecture and organising the dinner. I believe it was entirely within guidelines.” | “I understand that some money is raised which goes back into boosting the lecture and organising the dinner. I believe it was entirely within guidelines.” |
| Abbott was asked about his travel arrangements to a Liberal fundraiser in Geelong on Wednesday night. | Abbott was asked about his travel arrangements to a Liberal fundraiser in Geelong on Wednesday night. |
| “I went with the police,” he said. | “I went with the police,” he said. |
| “The event I was at last night, sure, it raised some money for the local party. These are opportunities to learn more about the way our country works, to learn more about what is on the minds of the people of Australia, and I think they are an important part of a job like mine. | “The event I was at last night, sure, it raised some money for the local party. These are opportunities to learn more about the way our country works, to learn more about what is on the minds of the people of Australia, and I think they are an important part of a job like mine. |
| “The public should be prepared to fund what is reasonably necessary for politicians to do their job properly. | “The public should be prepared to fund what is reasonably necessary for politicians to do their job properly. |
| “Obviously politicians need to have an office, some staff, some research support; you need to be able to travel if you are to stay in touch with the general community. | “Obviously politicians need to have an office, some staff, some research support; you need to be able to travel if you are to stay in touch with the general community. |
| “But at all times these claims, these expenses, should be responsibly managed and they should be prudent and if possible frugal.” | “But at all times these claims, these expenses, should be responsibly managed and they should be prudent and if possible frugal.” |
| The resources should be allotted in “accordance with community expectations”. | The resources should be allotted in “accordance with community expectations”. |
| Related: Politicians’ expenses post-Bronwyn Bishop: four reforms gaining traction | Related: Politicians’ expenses post-Bronwyn Bishop: four reforms gaining traction |
| The opposition spokesman on finance, Tony Burke, concedes that charging the taxpayer to fly his children on business class flights twice is not a good look, but insisted that he did nothing wrong. | The opposition spokesman on finance, Tony Burke, concedes that charging the taxpayer to fly his children on business class flights twice is not a good look, but insisted that he did nothing wrong. |
| “While I am completely confident that the questions in particular [of the flights] to Uluru and Cairns have been 100% within the rules, they have also been completely beyond community expectations,” he said. | “While I am completely confident that the questions in particular [of the flights] to Uluru and Cairns have been 100% within the rules, they have also been completely beyond community expectations,” he said. |
| “In each of these, I had senior members of my staff and departmental officials with me. You don’t go on a holiday with the public servants from your department, and the view that it was a holiday – it simply wasn’t. | “In each of these, I had senior members of my staff and departmental officials with me. You don’t go on a holiday with the public servants from your department, and the view that it was a holiday – it simply wasn’t. |
| “It was, by any definition, a work visit. Whether the kids were able to join me or not, they were visits I had to do as environment minister.” | “It was, by any definition, a work visit. Whether the kids were able to join me or not, they were visits I had to do as environment minister.” |
| The leader of the government in the Senate, Eric Abetz, said it is fair for children of parliamentarians to travel with their parents on the taxpayer dollar on occasion. | The leader of the government in the Senate, Eric Abetz, said it is fair for children of parliamentarians to travel with their parents on the taxpayer dollar on occasion. |
| “The entitlements, as they are so-called, are designed to assist with parliamentarians’ undertaking of their duties, and from time to time to allow them to engage with their families,” he said in Tasmania. “We are the parliamentarians, we are the volunteers; the spouse and the children, they are conscripts and they put up with a terrible lot.” | “The entitlements, as they are so-called, are designed to assist with parliamentarians’ undertaking of their duties, and from time to time to allow them to engage with their families,” he said in Tasmania. “We are the parliamentarians, we are the volunteers; the spouse and the children, they are conscripts and they put up with a terrible lot.” |
| The defence comes after reports that the manager of government business, Christopher Pyne, claimed nearly $7,800 to take his wife and four children on a business-class return trip between Adelaide and Canberra. | The defence comes after reports that the manager of government business, Christopher Pyne, claimed nearly $7,800 to take his wife and four children on a business-class return trip between Adelaide and Canberra. |
| “To be able to have the family unit together while on business from time to time, I think is something that is worthy of consideration given the huge pressures that families of members of parliament are under,” Abetz said. | “To be able to have the family unit together while on business from time to time, I think is something that is worthy of consideration given the huge pressures that families of members of parliament are under,” Abetz said. |
| Burke has promised to pay back $90 that he claimed in travel to attend a concert of former Take That star, Robbie Williams, also with his children. | Burke has promised to pay back $90 that he claimed in travel to attend a concert of former Take That star, Robbie Williams, also with his children. |
| He had claimed it by saying he had official business there, a point refuted by event promoter Michael Chugg, who said he saw no evidence of formal talks backstage. | He had claimed it by saying he had official business there, a point refuted by event promoter Michael Chugg, who said he saw no evidence of formal talks backstage. |
| “My view is, I’ll just pay the thing back,” Burke said. “I’ve got a different recollection to Chuggy on that. I remember a series of security issues and costs for major events. It’s just simpler if that gets paid back.” | “My view is, I’ll just pay the thing back,” Burke said. “I’ve got a different recollection to Chuggy on that. I remember a series of security issues and costs for major events. It’s just simpler if that gets paid back.” |
| Burke said he has written to the Department of Finance asking it to undertake a historical review of his expenses. | Burke said he has written to the Department of Finance asking it to undertake a historical review of his expenses. |
| Abetz criticised Burke’s decision to pay back the $90 for the concert. | Abetz criticised Burke’s decision to pay back the $90 for the concert. |
| “It’s another day and Mr Burke has now agreed to make yet another repayment,” he said. “In his capacity as shadow minister for finance [it is he] who would bear responsibility for the entitlements scheme so at least he knows the prepayment program works exceptionally well in the Department of Finance.” | “It’s another day and Mr Burke has now agreed to make yet another repayment,” he said. “In his capacity as shadow minister for finance [it is he] who would bear responsibility for the entitlements scheme so at least he knows the prepayment program works exceptionally well in the Department of Finance.” |
| But Shorten defended his frontbencher. | But Shorten defended his frontbencher. |
| “There is no comparison between what Mr Burke has done and what Bronwyn Bishop did,” he said. “He has done everything within the rules.” | “There is no comparison between what Mr Burke has done and what Bronwyn Bishop did,” he said. “He has done everything within the rules.” |
| Independent Andrew Wilkie wants the Department of Finance to undertake a broad review of all expenses claimed by parliamentarians since 2010. | Independent Andrew Wilkie wants the Department of Finance to undertake a broad review of all expenses claimed by parliamentarians since 2010. |
| “We need to shine a light on to how parliamentarians are spending taxpayers’ money, and challenging those parliamentarians to explain that expenditure and to justify it,” Wilkie said. | “We need to shine a light on to how parliamentarians are spending taxpayers’ money, and challenging those parliamentarians to explain that expenditure and to justify it,” Wilkie said. |
| The review of the entitlements system will report back to the government by early 2016. | The review of the entitlements system will report back to the government by early 2016. |
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