Minister’s flight entitlements under growing scrutiny
Communications Minister Anika Wells is under scrutiny for her use of parliamentary powers.
FLIGHT EXPENSES
* Ms. Wells came under fire last week after it was revealed in the Senate that it would cost taxpayers nearly $100,000 for the secretary, a staffer and a public official to fly to New York to attend the United Nations in September.
* The high cost of flight tickets was attributed to flights booked at the last minute, while Ms Wells dealt with the effects of Optus’ triple zero outage.
* He was originally supposed to travel with the prime minister on an RAAF jet.
* The revelations have led to a steady stream of reports about Ms Wells’s parliamentary spending.
* Ms Wells billed taxpayers $3600 for a three-day trip to Adelaide in June that coincided with a friend’s birthday party.
* Also in June, the minister billed taxpayers almost $3000 in family reunification costs to take his family on a ski trip to Thredbo while he held meetings with the Australian Paralympics.
* Ms. Wells made three trips to Europe last year for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the Rugby World Cup, for a total cost of $116,000.
* Almost $9000 was spent on family reunification rights so Mrs Wells’ husband could attend three AFL grand finals.
* Mrs Wells also requested $1800 for herself and her husband to attend the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
* Another $4,100 was spent on flights as family reunion expenses to attend three cricket events.
WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS?
* The expenses claimed by Ms Wells are within parliamentary rules but calls have grown for them to be changed.
* MPs and senators have the right to be accompanied by their families when traveling on parliamentary business in Australia.
* For travel to Canberra, MPs are allowed to purchase nine round-trip business class air tickets from their home base to Canberra for their spouse or nominated person, as well as three economy round-trip air tickets for each dependent child.
* To travel elsewhere in Australia, MPs and senators are allowed a total of three round-trip business class air tickets.
* Family members can travel to and from the airport via COMCAR accompanied by a member of parliament or senator.
