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Politicians have blasted a senior Albanian government minister after a report revealed he spent tens of thousands of dollars on taxpayer-funded drivers.
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones spent up to $43,000 on taxpayer-subsidized COMCAR travel over a nine-month period, according to reports published by Daily Telegraph.
The reports, citing documents obtained through Freedom of Information, allege that Mr Jones obtained more than $11,000 in taxpayer-subsidised car trips, including petrol allowance claims, between April and December 2022.
They included a $1,000 car trip for the 2.5-hour journey from his NSW home in Shellharbour, south of Wollongong, to Parliament House in Canberra that September.
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones (pictured right) spent up to $43,000 on taxpayer-subsidized COMCAR travel
According to Treasury guidelines, MPs are not allowed to use COMCARs for parliamentary business if they can responsibly drive their own privately-owned vehicles.
Independent MP Jacqui Lambie said federal leaders were exploiting the guidelines to the ‘maximum’.
“Given he’s assistant treasurer, I think it’s absolutely disgusting,” Lambie told Sky News on Monday.
‘And why doesn’t he drive himself from his house to Parliament, which is about 200 km (to 220 km) away.
– Everyone else is expected to do it, so I don’t understand it. Sometimes being a political figure, it goes right to their head and their entitlement – just blows me away.
Australia’s federal politicians, judges and high-ranking visitors can be driven around in electric BMWs. Image: NCA NewsWire
‘I would suggest that instead of coming after the independents or micro (MPs) up there (Canberra) you might want to go to the Labor Party and start auditing them.’
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said senior ministers had additional responsibilities which required them to use taxpayer-funded car services more frequently than the average MP.
‘Stephen lives in a regional area. He has a lot to travel. It is completely within rights,’ Ms Plibersek said on Monday.
But Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said Mr Jones should publicly explain the allegations.
‘To be honest, I used to drive my car from here in northern NSW to Canberra. I wanted to stop in Sydney and it was much cheaper than flying. See, that’s something for Stephen to explain.
“It seems there’s a strong case for why he doesn’t turn his own car the other way, which is taxpayer-funded, and just drive it to Canberra.”
According to the latest parliamentary expenses data, Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Jobs Minister Tony Burke spent the most on domestic and international travel after Labor won the 2022 federal election – with the Prime Minister claiming over $82,000 in overseas flight expenses and $500,000. in employees’ travel expenses.