Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is running from accountability over the travel expenses issue. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Sussan Ley has accused Anthony Albanese of “running a mile” from accountability and transparency in government by not taking seriously the expenses scandal embroiling his Communications Minister Anika Wells.
The Opposition Leader insists the Prime Minister needs to “rein in” the Minister and also have her expenses reviewed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to determine if she had broken the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
“He’s running away from it, or he’s continuing something that we have seen as a pattern with this government, which is obfuscation and lack of transparency, not clear about what’s going on, covering things up,” Ms Ley said.
“If he continues to say nothing, he’s giving a green light to all of his Ministers to continue to live it up, just exactly how Anika Wells is doing …
“If he can’t stand there and tell the Australian people that this Minister has not breached the code of conduct, then she should resign.”
Ms Wells is under fire for spending almost $100,000 in taxpayers’ money to travel business class with two staff to the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York, with another $70,000 in related function-hosting expenses.
But there’s also a lavish $1000 dinner in Paris; attending interstate parties on the public purse; and for capitalising on parliament’s family reunion benefits to fly her family to big sporting events around the country (including a snow trip to Thredbo).
The Minister has self-referred her expenditure to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for an audit, but the Opposition is demanding more.
This is despite revelations during the week that numerous Labor, Coalition and Greens members are also seemingly exploiting the generous taxpayer-funded parliamentary schemes.
Mr Albanese has so far stood by Ms Wells, saying all is above board and refusing to launch a review into whether such entitlements should be changed.
Ms Wells has made a point of stating that she has acted within the rules at all times and that she doesn’t write them.
The PM is backing her on that point, saying the rules were set under the former Coalition government.
“I haven’t changed the rules. They’ve been in place for some time and we haven’t changed the rules,” he said.
“We haven’t added to any entitlements.”
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie has accused the Prime Minister of running a “protection racket” for his embattled Communications Minister.
“The reason why the Prime Minister is running this protection racket for Anika Wells is because he signed off on that trip,” Senator McKenzie said.
“She’s under investigation and she should do the right thing and step aside while this investigation is taking place.”
The Opposition says it is offering a bipartisan approach to reforming expenses guidelines for parliamentarians, with Ms Ley confirming she had said as much in a letter to the PM.
In the first indication there could be movement on that front, Health Minister Mark Butler said the Federal Government could be open to tweaking the rules.
Speaking on breakfast radio on Friday (11 December), Mr Butler said the Federal Government would welcome any suggestions from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority reviewing Ms Wells’ expenses.
“I think this is an opportunity for that independent authority to consider if they have some advice and recommendations about ways in which we could change the system,” he said.
“I’d welcome that. The Prime Minister said yesterday he would welcome it.
“If the independent authority has some advice about ways in which we could change the system to reflect those two lodestars, reasonableness and the use of these conditions in a sensible way, I think we’d all welcome that.”
Mr Albanese was subsequently asked to clarify if he had talked to he IPEA and he replied that he had, but he didn’t say when.
“It’s important that as parliamentarian we’re not deciding things for ourselves because that would bring obvious criticism,” he said.
“I’ve said to IPEA please give us some advice and we will take that on board, and when that advice is received, we will make a decision in the usual way. But it’s important to get that advice.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said it was up to the government’s relevant Ministers to consider reviewing parliamentary expenses guidelines.
But he added that while he was confident Ms Wells’ travel was within the rules, he believed it appropriate it was being reviewed by an independent authority.
“I think it’s important that these travel claims are managed at arm’s length from the government and from politicians, and that’s what’s happening,” Dr Chalmers said.
