PER DIEM ALLOWANCES – AUSTRALIA

Albanese says his use of family travel allowance in accordance with the rules as MPs call for fresh look at entitlements

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Original article by Josh Butler, Krishani Dhanji
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 10-Dec-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become embroiled in the federal government’s controversy over travel expenses. Data from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority shows that Albanese has claimed a total of $2,778 in travel expenses on three separate occasions since 2022 for his family to join him on trips to attend sports events in Melbourne and Brisbane. A government spokesperson has indicated that all of Albanese’ disclosures were "in accordance with the rules". Meanwhile, Communications Minister Anika Wells has referred herself to IPEA for an audit of her travel expenses, although she believes all of her expenses complied with parliamentary rules. However, some MPs and senators have called for a review of travel expense claims.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES AUTHORITY

Push to upgrade freebie Albanese to corruption watchdog

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Original article by Rhiannon Down, Geoff Chambers, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 30-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is continuing to attract scrutiny over revelations that he accepted free flight upgrades from Qantas when he was transport minister and shadow transport minister. However, Albanese contends that he has been "completely transparent" about his flights as an MP. Opposition leader Peter Dutton says Albanese had most likely been in breach of the ministerial code of conduct. Dutton has called for Albanese to refer himself to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, arguing that it should investigate his relationship with Qantas and the federal government’s decision to block Qatar Airways’ application for additional flights to Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, QATAR AIRWAYS

AFP investigating politician’s office over questionable travel claims

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Original article by Josh Butler
The New Daily – Page: Online : 6-Apr-21

It has been revealed in an Auditor-General’s report that the office of a federal politician is the subject of an Australian Federal Police investigation over potential misuse of travel allowance claims. The information regarding the investigation was contained in a report by the Auditor-General into the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, with the report noting the IPEA uses a debt collector to recoup money from MPs and their staff who have claimed expenses and purchases that they should not have done. As of February, the IPEA had not received any information from the AFP regarding the outcome of its investigation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES AUTHORITY

Greens amid top spenders on flights

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Jan-17

The travel expenses of federal politicians have come under further scrutiny amid revelations that Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale spent $A56,526 on travel during the first half of 2016. The Greens’ community services spokeswoman Rachel Siewert submitted claims for $A63,934 worth of travel expenses during the period. The Greens have criticised the high travel expenses of members of the major political parties, and Di Natale stresses that his team’s travel expenses were solely work-related.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION

Shorten family election travel bill triple PM’s

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Jan-17

The travel costs of Australia’s political leaders has come under scrutiny in the wake of the expenses scandal that has embroiled Health Minister Sussan Ley. It has been revealed that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten claimed $A51,531 in travel expenses for himself and his family in the first half of 2016. In contrast, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was reimbursed just $A14,441 in travel expenses during the period. Meanwhile, Turnbull is tipped to receive the findings of the inquiry into Ley’s travel expenses in coming days.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

New year headache hits PM

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Original article by Sid Maher, Simon Benson, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 10-Jan-17

Some Coalition MPs expect that embattled Health Minister Sussan Ley will be forced to resign over the controversy regarding travel expenses. Ley’s future is uncertain after she was temporarily stood down from the ministry pending two separate inquiries into her use of travel expenses. Cabinet Secretary ­Arthur Sinodinos will assume responsibility for her portfolio until the inquiries are completed. The Opposition has called for Ley to be sacked, while a number of Coalition MPs believe that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should pursue a ministerial reshuffle.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES

Jet-setting Ley fights to keep career flying

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 9-Jan-17

The future of federal Health Minister Sussan Ley remains under scrutiny amid new revelations about her reimbursement for travel expenses. It has been disclosed that Ley submitted claims for the cost of travelling to the Gold Coast on New Year’s Eve in both 2013 and 2014. Ley has agreed to repay the expenses she incurred in May 2015 for travelling from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, where she bought an apartment. She had been in Brisbane on official ministerial business at the time. The Opposition has argued that she should be sacked.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, THE PHARMACY GUILD OF AUSTRALIA

Double-dippers stand by rules

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Original article by Jared Owens, Rebecca Puddy, Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-May-16

Some 52 past and current MPs have declared a financial interest in residential properties in Canberra since the 2013 federal election. While the majority have not replied to enquiries as to whether they had claimed a travel allowance for staying in their Canberra home, Australian Labor Party MP Brendan O’Connor is the only one to have stated that he did not make such a claim. Five MPs have acknowledged that they have claimed both the travel allowance and a tax deduction associated with their Canberra home.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS