Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is now the second minister to refer herself for an expense audit as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese seeks advice from the independent expenses body.
Rowland has today announced she has referred a $21,685 family trip to Western Australia to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA).
“The Attorney-General has referred a trip from 2023 to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for advice,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
The federal government has brushed away criticisms about family reunion travel, which is an entitlement for parliamentarians to fly their family out to them while they are away from home on official business.
These are paid for by the taxpayer.
Their expenditure technically falls within parliamentary rules but has been criticised for failing the pub test, as many of their constituents struggle to keep up in the cost-of-living crisis.
This afternoon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he asked the IPEA for advice.
“It’s important that, as parliamentarians, we’re not deciding things for ourselves because that would bring obvious criticism,” he told reporters this afternoon.
“I’ve asked IPEA for advice. At least two members of parliament have referred themselves for the details of their audit, but in addition to that, I’ve said to IPEA, ‘Please give us some advice,’ and we will take that on board.”
Albanese failed to answer when exactly he sought advice from the IPEA and said he asked for advice “publicly”.
“I have said that publicly and asked for that advice from IPEA,” he said.
The prime minister spent $30,253.08 on family travel expenses in the last financial year.
Out of all the parliamentarians, Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell charged taxpayers the highest amount of $45,926.84 in family travel during the same time.
