Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed calls to revisit the rules governing taxpayer-funded entitlements for politicians, even as questions mount over the spending practices of several ministers.
Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks over expense claims, including flights for family members to attend sporting events and a trip to a ski resort in Thredbo. Wells has referred herself to the expenses watchdog for an audit but insists her spending complies with existing rules. Similar defenses have been offered by Special Minister of State Don Farrell and Nationals MP Andrew Willcox, both of whom have made extensive use of family entitlements.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who resigned from cabinet in 2017 after questions over her own expenses, said she was open to reviewing the rules. However, standing alongside Wells at a school library on Thursday, Albanese rejected the idea, stressing his focus was on rolling out a social media ban.
“These are rules that have been set for some period of time. They’re rules that are in place,” Albanese said. “We haven’t added to any entitlements. The rules have been there since they were put in place by the former government.”
Pressed on whether expectations should be tightened, Albanese said he would defer to the independent parliamentary expenses authority, which monitors compliance and can recommend changes. He emphasized that his government had not increased entitlements, though Farrell has amended definitions of parliamentary and official business.
Community expectations, Albanese acknowledged, were “important.” He added, “Every now and again what we see is issues arise … I’m aware that this is an issue.”
The Coalition has sharpened its criticism, focusing on whether Wells’ actions breach the ministerial code of conduct. Ley argued the minister should step aside while the prime minister’s department reviews the matter. The guidelines require ministers to avoid “wasteful or extravagant use” of public resources and ensure “due economy.”
Liberal finance spokesperson James Paterson accused Wells of breaching those standards and charged Albanese with failing to enforce accountability. “This has rapidly become a scandal about the prime minister and his judgement and the standards that he’s willing to enforce on his ministers,” Paterson said.
While reiterating the Coalition’s willingness to review the rules, Paterson insisted the real issue was Wells’ judgement, not the regulations themselves.
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