That's fraud Alby.
Should be goodbye from me.
What a sorry state our parties are in. Turd sandwiches and douchebags to pick from.
The problem is it isn't fraud. They are all 'allowed' to do it and they all do (major & minor parties and independents). It's been going on for years
.
When anyone becomes an elected pollie you get handed a thick
book of all these claimable allowances. They virtually pay for nothing out of their base salary. Stationery, etc it's all claimable. They don't even pay to buy a newspaper
.
"Federal politicians receive $273 [ed. it's now $291] a night to stay in Canberra, a travel allowance they can claim even when they stay in a property that they or their partner own.
Reports have revealed that on top of the allowance, MPs who rent or buy a property to stay in during work-related travel can also claim tax deductions for rent, interest on borrowings used for the acquisition of the property, rates, taxes, insurance and general maintenance."https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/may/22/politicians-double-dipping-property-allowance-deduction-rules-mathias-cormannhttps://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/taxpayers-footing-bill-on-treasurer-joe-hockeys-15-million-canberra-house/news-story/9f7aa113072b167e022ba34abde4da7dWhen questioned the pollies all deflect to the same default response - "travel allowance is set independently by the remuneration tribunal and tax rules were set independently by the tax office, and applied equally to all members of parliament. I comply with all of the rules."
It's like a Yes Minister episode. The pollies all do it so it doesn't cost any side votes and this "independent" renumerations tribunal isn't going to upset their political masters and the system that appoints them.
Here are the members of the renumeration tribunal. All corporate types.
https://www.remtribunal.gov.au/about-usAlso here is the link to parliamentarians' expenditure:
https://www.ipea.gov.au/pwe