The federal government said it is working to reform the entitlements system, amid warnings from minor parties and independents that the latest scandal is damaging to democracy.
The Turnbull Government has pledged to reform the parliamentary entitlements system, as the fallout over Health Minister Sussan Ley’s taxpayer funded trips to Queensland intensifies.
“We know it needs change… it is a priority for our government to implement those changes,” acting Special Minister of State Kelly O’ Dwyer said.
Minister Ley was sidelined from her portfolio duties on Monday after it was revealed she used a taxpayer-funded trip to the Gold Coast to purchase a $795,000 apartment from a Liberal National Party donor in 2015.
"Australians work exceptionally hard for every dollar they earn and they quite appropriately and rightly expect that when they pay their taxes to the government that their money is spent wisely," Minister O’Dwyer said.
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It has also been revealed Ms Ley claimed travel costs to the Gold Coast for New Year's Eve celebrations in 2013 and 2014.
The frontbencher claims the ocean view property was purchased on “impulse”, however, it’s been she had used another taxpayer-funded trip to inspect another property nine months before her controversial purchase.
Greens Leader Richard Di Natale said the scandal has much greater consequences than portraying politicians as out of touch and is pushing for a federal anti-corruption watchdog
“When politicians do this what they do is they undermine people's faith in our democratic system and that's a bad thing for democracy,” he said.
The proposed watchdog would include an independent parliamentary adviser to help make decisions on entitlement claims and audit them when necessary.
“Show some courage, some integrity, and ensure that people have faith that their elected representatives are working for them and not for themselves.”
The Abbott Government commissioned a "root-and-branch" of the entitlements system in 2015 - after former speaker Bronwyn Bishop resigned for spending $5000 to charter a helicopter from Melbourne to Geelong to attend a Liberal Party fundraiser.
Nearly a year later, with the findings released, the parliament is yet to see reform.
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"If what some pollies are claiming is within the rules then the current rules need to be ripped up and changed," Independent Senator Xenophon told SBS News.
"No wonder so many politicians are hated by so many Australians."
On Tuesday it was the minister had used another taxpayer-funded trip to inspect a property nine months before her controversial purchase.
The government's review into the entitlements system found the current system was "complex, confusing, incomplete, contradictory" and concluded it was "immensely difficult to follow and administer".
Ms Ley has been sidelined from her health portfolio without her ministerial pay until two departmental reviews report back, but she said she was confident she would return to the frontbench.
Labor's shadow special minister of state Don Farrell said Ms Ley should be sacked.
"The minister has confused her public interests with her private interests," Senator Farrell told Sky News on Tuesday.
Senator Nick Xenophon said his legislation would:
- Create an independent watchdog to monitor the disclosures of MPs and Senators.
- Ensure travel claims and expenses are released monthly (six-month disclosures are currently in place).
- Ensure anyone found to breach the rules would have to pay back four times the amount claimed.
- Clarify what can - and can't - be claimed.
Senator Di Natale is pushing for a federal anti-corruption watchdog, which he proposes would include an independent parliamentary adviser to help make decisions on entitlement claims and audit them when necessary.
"While we believe Senator Xenophon’s legislation is a step in the right direction it does not go far enough; the system is broken and nothing short of a comprehensive overhaul will be able to fix it,” Senator Di Natale said.
"It appears that both the government and Labor have an interest in keeping the system opaque, so that they can continue exploiting it."
