Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has been told to repay some of the expenses she claimed for a week-long family trip to Perth, after the independent watchdog found the spending was outside the official guidelines.
Ms Rowland referred the expenses to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) last week, after the Australian Financial Review reported she had billed taxpayers more than $21,000 for the trip in 2023, including $16,050 in flights for her family.
In a statement on Sunday, Ms Rowland’s office confirmed she would be repaying a “portion” of the trip following IPEA’s advice.Â
“IPEA finalised its advice on Friday 12 December and conveyed a portion of the family reunion travel expenses were outside the guidelines,” the statement said.
“The attorney-general has formally accepted that advice on Friday and commenced steps to make a repayment.”
The spokesperson said the attorney-general had at least 10 official engagements during her week in Perth and on days with no official duties, it is understood Ms Rowland covered her own expenses and accommodation.
Expenses scrutiny grows
Asked about the latest developments on Sunday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he understood the “substantial community concerns” that have arisen about the use of travel entitlements.
“I think it’s appropriate that colleagues have sought assurances from the independent body that these claims are within the rules. I’m confident that they are,” he said.
“It’s also appropriate that the prime minister has asked the organisation, at arm’s length from the government, for advice on any changes which may be necessary.”
The attorney-general is the second politician in the past week to have referred themselves to IPEA after Communications Minister Anika Wells, who sparked the travel expenses furore when it was revealed she had billed taxpayers nearly $100,000 for last-minute flights to New York to spruik the government’s teen social media ban.
Anika Wells has also referred her travel spending for review. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Further scrutiny of her expenses found Ms Wells, as sports minister, had also spent thousands of dollars flying her family to Thredbo’s ski resort, where she was attending a work event, and flying her husband to major sporting events including AFL Grand Finals, Boxing Day Test matches and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Ms Wells insists her spending is within the rules but referred herself to IPEA “for the avoidance of doubt”.
After initially dismissing calls for the rules to be tightened, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has now asked IPEA to review whether the taxpayer-funded perks, including generous family reunion entitlements, should change.
When can politicians charge the ‘company card’?
Parliamentarians are entitled to claim expenses for some family travel, including three Australia-wide business class return flights to where the politician is working and travel to Canberra from their home up to the value of nine return business class flights per year.
Ministers Wells and Rowland are not the only politicians to have taken advantage of the entitlement, with an ABC investigation revealing MPs had spent more than $1.1 million under the family reunion provisions last financial year.
Trade Minister Don Farrell topped the list of spending, at $48,178, with WA Senator Fatima Payman and Nationals MP Andrew Willcox not far behind.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has repeatedly said she was open to “looking at the rules” and has written to Mr Albanese requesting a meeting to discuss how trust in the system can be strengthened, “so community expectations are being met”.
The expenses authority is responsible for monitoring compliance with the rules and can make recommendations when it audits politicians, but the guidelines themselves are set by regulation, administered by the finance minister and special minister of state.