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| Tony Abbott on travel expenses: go by what would be acceptable in business | Tony Abbott on travel expenses: go by what would be acceptable in business |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tony Abbott has flagged a new benchmark for politicians’ travel claims based on whether they would be acceptable in the business world, as he declared that the latest round of revelations showed elected members had acted within the rules but outside community expectations on the spending of taxpayers’ money. | Tony Abbott has flagged a new benchmark for politicians’ travel claims based on whether they would be acceptable in the business world, as he declared that the latest round of revelations showed elected members had acted within the rules but outside community expectations on the spending of taxpayers’ money. |
| As the government continued to struggle to put the expenses scandals behind it before the resumption of parliament, the prime minister said on Sunday that MPs should weigh up whether such travel costs would be appropriate for someone in the private sector. | As the government continued to struggle to put the expenses scandals behind it before the resumption of parliament, the prime minister said on Sunday that MPs should weigh up whether such travel costs would be appropriate for someone in the private sector. |
| Related: Christopher Pyne and Tony Burke's travel scrutinised as review team named | Related: Christopher Pyne and Tony Burke's travel scrutinised as review team named |
| His remarks followed fresh scrutiny of MPs from both sides of politics over the use of business-class flights for family members, and came as parliament prepared to elect a new Speaker to replace Bronwyn Bishop. | |
| The Sunday Telegraph reported that the treasurer, Joe Hockey, flew his wife and two children from Sydney to Perth on business-class return flights during the April 2013 school holidays. Department of Finance expenses records show each of the “family traveller” flights cost $1,470,01 for a total of $8,820.06. The trip coincided with the anniversary of Hockey’s speech about ending “the age of entitlement”. | The Sunday Telegraph reported that the treasurer, Joe Hockey, flew his wife and two children from Sydney to Perth on business-class return flights during the April 2013 school holidays. Department of Finance expenses records show each of the “family traveller” flights cost $1,470,01 for a total of $8,820.06. The trip coincided with the anniversary of Hockey’s speech about ending “the age of entitlement”. |
| When asked about the Hockey story and whether business-class flights for family members should be axed, Abbott suggested a new criterion for MPs who were considering making travel claims. | When asked about the Hockey story and whether business-class flights for family members should be axed, Abbott suggested a new criterion for MPs who were considering making travel claims. |
| “The point is that obviously there are things which have been inside the rules, but they’ve been outside community expectations, and the point that I’m making is that the sorts of things that would be inappropriate for people in business should likewise be not something that members of parliament do,” the prime minister said. | “The point is that obviously there are things which have been inside the rules, but they’ve been outside community expectations, and the point that I’m making is that the sorts of things that would be inappropriate for people in business should likewise be not something that members of parliament do,” the prime minister said. |
| Labor’s finance spokesman, Tony Burke, and the education minister, Christopher Pyne, have also faced questions in the past week about the use of family traveller flights. But in an apparent truce between the major parties, Pyne defended Burke’s expenses claims while the Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said Pyne’s decision to charge taxpayers to fly his children to Canberra to watch the opening of parliament in 2013 was reasonable. | |
| The leader of the Greens, Richard Di Natale, said nothing brought the major parties closer together “than protecting their own perks”. He argued the government’s five-member review panel – which included the former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson and the former Labor speaker Harry Jenkins – should have a greater level of independent representation. | The leader of the Greens, Richard Di Natale, said nothing brought the major parties closer together “than protecting their own perks”. He argued the government’s five-member review panel – which included the former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson and the former Labor speaker Harry Jenkins – should have a greater level of independent representation. |
| Abbott told the Nine Network on Sunday it was “a pity” to lose Bishop from the speakership over an expenses scandal but it had triggered a review he hoped would restore public confidence that MPs were working in the public interest. | Abbott told the Nine Network on Sunday it was “a pity” to lose Bishop from the speakership over an expenses scandal but it had triggered a review he hoped would restore public confidence that MPs were working in the public interest. |
| Labor’s Albanese said on Ten’s Bolt Report on Sunday: “To me the very significant message that’s there is the disconnect between the Australian public and the political system.” | Labor’s Albanese said on Ten’s Bolt Report on Sunday: “To me the very significant message that’s there is the disconnect between the Australian public and the political system.” |
| Di Natale called for an “open conversation” about whether the taxpayer should pick up the tab for family travel. “If the community expectation is, look, even though you guys are away from your family half a year, if you want to see them, you should pay for it [rather than the taxpayer] … I think that’s absolutely legitimate,” he told the ABC’s Insiders program. | Di Natale called for an “open conversation” about whether the taxpayer should pick up the tab for family travel. “If the community expectation is, look, even though you guys are away from your family half a year, if you want to see them, you should pay for it [rather than the taxpayer] … I think that’s absolutely legitimate,” he told the ABC’s Insiders program. |
| “It is one thing to say the kids are going to come to Canberra for a few days to see mum or dad. It’s another thing altogether to sort of have these holidays in exotic locations where you might tack on a day’s work at the end of it. That’s where people are, quite rightly, really angry about that.” | “It is one thing to say the kids are going to come to Canberra for a few days to see mum or dad. It’s another thing altogether to sort of have these holidays in exotic locations where you might tack on a day’s work at the end of it. That’s where people are, quite rightly, really angry about that.” |
| In a development that had the potential to increase public anger, Fairfax Media reported that four former federal MPs had launched a high court bid to increase their entitlements. The MPs were arguing they should be based on a percentage of the current salaries for backbenchers, rather than pre-2011 amounts. | In a development that had the potential to increase public anger, Fairfax Media reported that four former federal MPs had launched a high court bid to increase their entitlements. The MPs were arguing they should be based on a percentage of the current salaries for backbenchers, rather than pre-2011 amounts. |
| The issue of expenses has dominated political debate in the last few weeks of the winter parliamentary recess and undercut the government’s attempt to promote other messages, including the Coalition’s naval shipbuilding pledge and attacks on the Labor leader, Bill Shorten. | The issue of expenses has dominated political debate in the last few weeks of the winter parliamentary recess and undercut the government’s attempt to promote other messages, including the Coalition’s naval shipbuilding pledge and attacks on the Labor leader, Bill Shorten. |
| A ReachTel poll showed 48% of respondents said they were less likely to support Abbott because of the controversy surrounding Bishop’s expenses, compared with 15% who said they were more likely to do so and 37% who were unswayed. | A ReachTel poll showed 48% of respondents said they were less likely to support Abbott because of the controversy surrounding Bishop’s expenses, compared with 15% who said they were more likely to do so and 37% who were unswayed. |
| The Fairfax-commissioned poll of 2,543 people conducted on Thursday night also showed Labor maintained an election-winning lead of 53% to the Coalition’s 47% on a two-party-preferred basis. | The Fairfax-commissioned poll of 2,543 people conducted on Thursday night also showed Labor maintained an election-winning lead of 53% to the Coalition’s 47% on a two-party-preferred basis. |
| Shorten enjoyed a clear lead over Abbott as preferred prime minister, the poll showed, but both leaders were unpopular compared with alternative leadership options within their respective parties. | Shorten enjoyed a clear lead over Abbott as preferred prime minister, the poll showed, but both leaders were unpopular compared with alternative leadership options within their respective parties. |
| The first item of business when parliament resumes on Monday will be the election of a new speaker. Coalition MPs have urged Abbott to avoid another “captain’s pick”. Contenders include Tony Smith, Andrew Southcott, Philip Ruddock, Russell Broadbent and Ross Vasta. | The first item of business when parliament resumes on Monday will be the election of a new speaker. Coalition MPs have urged Abbott to avoid another “captain’s pick”. Contenders include Tony Smith, Andrew Southcott, Philip Ruddock, Russell Broadbent and Ross Vasta. |
| Bishop resigned from her position as Speaker after coming under pressure for a series of expenses claims including $5,227 for return chartered helicopter flights from Melbourne to Geelong to attend a Liberal fundraiser. | |
| The “root and branch” review of travel entitlements is due to finish its report in the first half of 2016. | The “root and branch” review of travel entitlements is due to finish its report in the first half of 2016. |