Family travel rules for federal politicians allowed a Nationals MP to charge taxpayers more than $80,000 to fly his spouse to and from Canberra 27 times in two years.
The revelation comes amid growing calls for the entitlement to be tightened.
Andrew Willcox, who represents the North Queensland electorate of Dawson, has not exceeded his allowed budget for family reunion flights despite spending about seven times more than the average Australian politician on the expense during the last term of parliament, primarily on Canberra travel for his wife.
Mr Willcox told the ABC every trip he had claimed was “legitimate, fully compliant with IPEA [Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority] rules, and directly supports my parliamentary work for constituents”.
Federal politicians outside the ACT are allowed to claim up to the value of nine return business class Canberra trips each financial year for their spouse or nominated family member under the IPEA rules.
They may expense a larger number of flights, provided they do not go above the budget set for them by the IPEA each year based on where they live.
Willcox says regional MPs face ‘tyranny of distance’
In 2022-23, Mr Willcox charged taxpayers $36,091 for 14 return trips for his spouse to travel between either Townsville or Mackay, and Canberra.
In 2023-24, he spent $44,168 for 13 return trips, while in 2024-25 — when parliament had reduced sitting weeks due to the federal election — he spent $28,626 on 8.5 return trips to Canberra.
Mr Willcox, who is based in Bowen according to his IPEA reports, entered parliament in 2022, and last term spent more than $113,000 on family travel expenses in total.
Pollies charge taxpayers $1.1m for family travel in 12 months
This was about seven times the average of $14,900 spent on this entitlement by politicians across the entire parliament over that three-year period.
Mr Willcox said as a regional Queensland electorate, Dawson faced “the tyranny of distance”.
“For those MPs representing regional and remote areas, travel often requires multiple connecting flights to and from Canberra,” he said.
“I choose to save taxpayers the cost of an additional salary by using family travel within the guidelines for parliamentary work.”
He said his wife travelled between the electorate and Canberra to assist with parliamentary work, which included sitting weeks and various committee duties.
“If this support were provided by an additional staff member, it would incur not only a salary but also full travel costs, including flights, and daily allowances to cover accommodation and ground transport,” he said.
Mr Willcox said this was vastly different from the family reunion travel expensed by Communications and Sport Minister Anika Wells, who has come under scrutiny for charging taxpayers to fly her husband to sporting events where she was attending for work.
Growing calls for travel entitlements to be tightened
Liberal shadow communications minister Melissa McIntosh revealed on Wednesday she felt family travel entitlements “could be dropped” given public expectations of politicians had “changed over the years”.
“We all do want to be with our families, me included — I have three children — but if we don’t drop this, then we need to restrict it,” she said.
Independent ACT senator David Pocock has also questioned the need for business-class-level flight entitlements.
“Should family be flying business class? Should politicians be flying business class on two-hour flights? I don’t think so personally,” he said.
“Let’s have that conversation.”
Senator Pocock said he was careful to wade into the issue as a Canberra-based politician, and called for a “nuanced” debate on entitlements to ensure parliament could be family friendly.
Wells ‘happy’ for audit to examine her expenses
Ms Wells has insisted her spending has been within the rules, but has referred her expenses to IPEA for an audit to reassure the public.
“I absolutely accept those figures prompt a gut reaction in people. I honestly accept that. I agree with everybody that parliamentarians’ expenses should be scrutinised,” Ms Wells said on Wednesday.
“I have been found to have followed the guidelines so far but, for the absolute avoidance of doubt, I am happy for them to have another look.”
Ms Wells defended her decision to use expense entitlements so her spouse could to travel to multiple AFL and NRL grand finals, the cricket and tennis in recent years.
“I have three different portfolios and have countless requests to be in different towns and cities to do all different things. I could probably live every day three times over and not get to all the requests,” she said.
“I always give really thoughtful care in the decisions I make in regard to my program … I really do do my best.”
Asked if the family travel entitlements should be tightened, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated the matter would be left to IPEA.
“I think it’s really important that an independent authority be just that, that I don’t pre-empt what the independent authority thinks,” he said.