Paid entitlements are ‘out of control’ for politicians

After the news broke of Minister Sussan Ley was standing down from her position while the Government investigated her travel expense claim a lot of other politicians have had their expenses scrutinised.

Travel Minister Steve Ciobo has lashed out against claims that he did anything wrong after many criticised his taxpayer funded trip to the 2013 AFL Grand Final saying that it was work related. The trip cost taxpayers more than $1,100. Mr Ciobo defended the action saying that he was invited in an official capacity. He told reported, “I’m sorry, but the reason I was invited isn’t because I’m Steve Ciobo — I was invited because I’m the Trade Minister”. He added, “Ministers or parliamentary secretaries or others are invited to go along to these events specifically by businesses and organisations who are taking the opportunity to showcase themselves there, to take the time to have a conversation in relation to important matters, absolutely [it] is work related.”

Add to this that Immigration Minister Peter Dutton had a taxpayer funded dinner at a five-star luxury restaurant in the US costing $4,000. According to a spokesman for Mr Dutton, “The minister [also] held bilateral meetings with US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and now UK Prime Minister Theresa May, visited the White House and the Director of the CIA and the minister was also negotiating the arrangement with the United States to accept people from Nauru and Manus Island”.

The call for an investigation into all Minister’s travel and expense claims has been issued, but the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has yet to comment on the situation.

What do you think? Do you think that some ministers are taking the tax payers for a ride or are they doing what they need to do to be efficient in their work?