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Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has repaid part of a $22,000 trip with her family to Perth after the politicians’ expenses watchdog found it was outside official guidelines.
A spokesman for Rowland confirmed this morning that the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) reviewed the trip that was taken in 2023 after the attorney-general sought advice on it.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has paid back an unspecified amount of travel entitlements.Credit: James Brickwood
The Australian Financial Review revealed last week that Rowland claimed almost $22,000 for flights and a travel allowance for a week-long trip to Perth during the NSW school holidays in mid-2023. That included $16,050 for three family flights.
Amid the turmoil over parliamentarian expenses and pressure on Communication and Sports Minister Anika Wells over her spending on family reunion travels, Wells sought advice from IPEA on the 2023 trip.
That advice was returned on Friday, finding that a portion of the family reunion travel was outside official guidelines.
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The spokesman said that during the trip, Rowland had at least 10 official engagements.
He said the minister had accepted IPEA’s advice and started steps to repay that portion of the claim outside the agency’s travel guidelines. The amount Rowland will repay was not specified.
On days when there were no official duties, Rowland is understood not to have claimed any travel allowances and paid her own expenses and accommodation.
Albanese on Friday confirmed he had sought advice from IPEA on possible changes to the entitlements’ system. Federal cabinet meets on Monday, ahead of this week’s mid-year budget update, with the issue expected to be discussed.
On Sunday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers conceded there was community concern about the entire entitlements debate.
“I understand that there’s a lot of community concern about this, I think we all understand that, we all get that,” he told Sky News.
“These rules are all about trying to ensure that as we go about being the best ministers that we can, that we can also be, good parents where we can.
“I understand that where the rules reflect that, there’s not a lot of support for that, out in the community, but that’s what the rules are about, and we do our best to comply with those rules.”
Chalmers said he understood the IPEA advice sought by the prime minister would be received shortly.
He rejected suggestions that Rowland should resign.
“No, I don’t believe so. I think Michelle’s done the right thing in asking the IPEA to take another look.”
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