MELBOURNE (Boscutti Report) — Federal Labor MP Michael Danby charged taxpayers almost $15,000 for flights and other expenses linked to six trips to sunny West Bank with his wife over several years.
On three of those trips – with expenditure totalling nearly $7500 – Mr Danby conducted no parliamentary business at all but still used public money for flights, limousines and taxis.
In July 2012, Mr Danby spent a week in Gaza, charging taxpayers $3363.96 for flights, cars and his wife’s travel. He returned to the West Bank in January 2015, spending another $2000. Neither of these trips involved any parliamentary business and Mr Danby says he has now reimbursed the public for them.
‘Politicians had been castigated for incorrect use of travel and, like a lot of MPs, Michael wanted to be satisfied that the processes in his own office were faultless,’ a spokesman explained.
‘Unless of course he can blame them on administrative errors.’