The trade and tourism minister, Don Farrell, charged taxpayers more than $2,200 to travel to Canberra on the same weekend he attended a press gallery journalist’s wedding, describing the reason for the trip as official duties.
Farrell – who as the special minister of state has portfolio responsibility of the independent parliamentary expenses authority – flew from Adelaide to Canberra with his wife on 1 November last year, charging taxpayers a total of $1,636 for return flights.
Farrell also claimed two nights of travel allowance payments for the trip, worth $636, listing official duties as the reason for the travel.
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The couple’s air fares and other entitlements cost taxpayers more than $2,270. Mrs Farrell’s costs were classified as family travel.
Guardian Australia asked Farrell’s office to explain the official business on the relevant weekend.
The trip coincided with the Canberra wedding of a reporter in the federal parliamentary press gallery, which the Farrells attended as guests on Saturday 2 November.
Guardian Australia revealed this week there is no cap on the amount of spousal flights senior ministers and other officeholders can claim under the rules, with regulations governing politicians expenses describing the entitlements as “relevantly unlimited in respect of total expenses claimable each year”.
Mrs Farrell returned to Adelaide a few days later, while the minister flew to Shanghai for a trade show the following Sunday, 3 November.
Farrell’s travel claims have come under scrutiny in the growing parliamentary expenses controversy, sparked by expenses from the communications minister, Anika Wells, for a series of official trips overseas and to sporting events at home.
Wells has asked the independent watchdog to audit her claims and maintains she has followed the rules at all times.
One of Anthony Albanese’s most influential supporters and a Labor powerbroker, Farrell’s total family travel bill since Labor’s 2022 election victory runs to more than $90,000.
Under the rules, an MP’s family member can travel at taxpayer expense when they accompany or join the parliamentarian within Australia. The rules require the trip to be for the dominant purpose of conducting parliamentary business, or for “facilitating the family life of the parliamentarian”.
The travel costs are detailed in public data collated by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority.
Politicians embroiled in the growing expenses scandal this week defended their use of the family travel rules to bring their spouses and children to events such as the Australian Open and major NRL and AFL matches, saying it was within the rules.
Albanese also defended use of the family reunion rules this week, pointing to Wells and other MPs with young families as the reason the rules exist.
The controversy roiling Labor was sparked by scrutiny on Wells’ travel to the US in September and to France for sporting events. She also claimed costs for travel to Adelaide for meetings coinciding with a friend’s birthday and for a family trip to the Thredbo ski resort.
Albanese this week said it was appropriate that expense claims are handled at arm’s length from the government.
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