Sunrise host Natalie Barr has slammed Health Minister Mark Butler in an on-air clash over controversial travel perks for politicians.
It comes after Communications and Sports Minister Anika Wells referred herself to the parliamentary expenses authority following revelations that she repeatedly billed the public purse for chauffeured cars and family travel.
The flights were all claimed under ‘family reunion’ rules, which allow politicians to claim three business-class airfares a year for family members to join them while they are travelling on official business.
Barr opened the segment with a blunt reality check about the spending.
‘Have you seen what the public is saying?’ she asked Butler.
Butler claimed the public sympathised with politicians who don’t get to spend much time with their families due to the demands of the role.
‘I think they recognise that these jobs are tough on families, but any rules around trying to keep families together from time to time, of course, have to be reasonable. And they have to be used in a sensible way.’
Barr fired back: ‘They are not saying that, Mark. They’re actually saying that it stinks.’
Nat Barr unleashed at Albanese government health minister Mark Butler about travel allowances
Albanese brushed off questions about whether travel perks were too generous, but didn’t shut the door on reforms to the system
In recent days, Barr said she’s been flooded with hundreds of messages from viewers who believe the spending doesn’t pass the ‘pub test’ during a cost-of-living crisis.
Butler said that it wasn’t up to the government to decide whether the system needed tightening, pointing instead to the independent authority tasked with overseeing parliamentary entitlements.
‘I think having the independent authority take the opportunity to look at these rules and provide advice… would give the public some assurance,’ he said.
Barr pushed harder, reminding him that the Parliamentary Business Resources Act of 2017, the very law governing these entitlements, was created and voted on by politicians themselves.
‘If politicians wanted to change this, you actually could. Do you think that’s a good idea?’ she asked.
Butler said he would welcome a full review, not just into individual claims referred by Wells, but into whether the entire system genuinely meets the test of being reasonable and used sensibly.
‘We would welcome those recommendations, and if they have to be enacted through legislation, then I’m sure that’s what we would do.’
With more politicians being roped into the spiralling expenses furore, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said she was happy to consider changes to the rules, but urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to investigate whether Wells breached the ministerial code of conduct.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley called for a formal probe into the ‘family reunion’ allowance
‘She needs to step aside while this review happens,’ Ley told 2GB radio on Thursday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese brushed off questions about whether travel perks were too generous, but didn’t shut the door on reforms to the system.
‘We’re aware that issues are there and that taxpayers have a right to expect value for money,’ he told reporters in Canberra.
‘It’s important … that I don’t influence that from the top.’
Politicians are allowed to claim travel expenses if their official duties are the ‘dominant purpose’ of the trip.
This means they can still attend other, non-political events, as long as their parliamentary duties are the main focus of their travel.
Asked if her husband should be able to enjoy big sporting games, Wells said the family travel guidelines weren’t new.
‘No one expects any forgiveness for the political class. I understand that,’ she said.
‘Yes, I always think about how this is going to look to people when we make decisions about when we use the family travel entitlement.’
Wells charged taxpayers almost $1000 for a chauffeur for seven hours the day she attended the Australian Open in 2023 and more than $1200 for nine hours the day of the NRL and NRLW grand finals in 2022, according to the parliamentary expenses register.
The minister had her electorate office fitted with a secure communications facility in October 2024 when she was Sports and Aged Care Minister, despite a similar room being about a 20-minute drive away.
The minister also spent $3000 on flights and allowances for her husband and children to join her at Thredbo in June 2024 while she attended meetings with Paralympics Australia and Adaptive Festival organisers.
Wells first came under fire over flights for herself and two others that cost almost $100,000.
She flew to New York during the United Nations General Assembly, where she promoted the Albanese government’s world-first social media ban for under-16s.