Forget “the rules”, pollies should get their snouts out of the travel trough

The media vortex over travel costs proves once again how politicians hide behind “independently determined rules” while subverting the system. former senator Rex Patrick explains.

During my 4.5 years as a senator, I used the family reunion travel plan three times to allow my daughter to travel with me during parliamentary duties; Tasks that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish otherwise because I’m single and not about to leave a home of 13 years on my own. These missions did not include ‘Disney on Ice’ or anything similar.

I mean, the family reunification scheme has a proper purpose, but that purpose is not to allow MP families to take free trips to Thredbo, sports finals or weekend breaks at taxpayer expense.

And federal politicians should not be allowed to get away with statements that “it complies with the rules” or “the rules are made by an independent body.”

“According to the rules”

In Australia, 60,000 workers fly to remote locations to work. They spend long periods of time away from their families. They are not asking their employers or taxpayers to foot the bill for event attendance or vacations.

That’s why pollsters should view their plans as a privilege, not something to be abused.

It is not correct to say “My trip was within the rules”. This is an escape. Politicians, and especially ministers, are required to exercise judgment as part of their duties and

It is not a good decision to take advantage of rules designed for some flexibility.

Politicians and especially ministers need to show the way. Rorting does not show the way. Pub testing is valid.

Why business class?

Although, as a senator, I am entitled to business class air travel, I have only flown in business class twice. Either way, I had to be somewhere and I couldn’t get an economy ticket to get there on time.

It makes sense for politicians and ministers from Perth or Northern Australia to fly business class, but the same cannot be said for polls on the one or two hour flight from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide to Canberra. Of course these Members of Parliament and Senators can sit with the ‘cattle’ on short flights; they may even strike up a conversation and learn something about life outside their bubble.

I didn’t take notes, but I remember that on my travels to Adelaide – Canberra – Adelaide I was not the only parliamentarian in the economy, but I passed many people who had settled into a comfortable seat at the front.

Minister Anika Wells has been (rightfully) questioned over a recent $100,000 trip to New York to enforce the government’s social media ban on children under 16. The high cost of this came for him, a consultant and a ministry official, after Optus delayed a flight to deal with the triple zero crisis, meaning the booking was last minute.

Maybe there was a reason for his trip, but did he really have to take the consultant and a department official with him? Aware of the costs, he could have told them to stay in Australia. We also have well-paid diplomats posted abroad who can assist Ministers.
meetings abroad.

Hypocrisy Blitzkrieg: Anika Wells’ spending meltdown opens a can of worms

The rules weren’t broken, but the rules were broken

The Club Parliament has some generous privileges that many MPs take full advantage of. Unsurprisingly, they don’t like to talk about such things.

“I operate independently within established rules,” all implored the few survey respondents willing to ponder on family travel perks. Maybe they are acting within the rules, but when you look at what is happening, it is clear that the rules are being broken.

Prime Minister Albanese knows these are long-standing problems. In 1997, just a year into his first term in parliament, the massive “Travel Rorts” scandal shook Prime Minister John Howard’s government. Three senior ministers, the Prime Minister’s private secretary and a group of senior bureaucrats lost their jobs. A Labor frontbench senator attempted suicide.

It was later revealed that MPs’ travel rules were violated and abused. Reforms were made, then new abuses emerged, loopholes and exceptions turned into shameless insults. Eventually, after a series of scandals large and small, IPEA was established during Malcolm Turnbull’s premiership.

Prime Minister Albanese knows this long history and now faces revelations that a new generation of MPs and senators, particularly his ministers, are pushing the boundaries of family travel rights far beyond what ordinary Australians see as justified and acceptable.

But the Prime Minister initially refused to intervene, emphasizing the word ‘independent’, considering the rules were long-standing and set by the Independent Parliamentary Expenditure Authority. This was a mistake.

He has now succumbed to media and public pressure and sought advice from IPEA. It may be admitted that the Prime Minister should not interfere with the extension or increase of powers, but he has every right and duty to stop the continuing decay.

It’s time for change

Rules regarding family reunion travel are flexible, but this flexibility has been subject to abuse.

The public is rightfully outraged. While some of our pollsters recklessly use public money for their own gain, they do it very hard.

The Prime Minister needs to be strong on this issue and put the public interest ahead of the interests of the Club Parliament.

No wagons for the golden goose, no showers for the old goose