Regional shindig hit for taxpayer
Taxpayers have forked out at least $187,000 for the majority of the parliament’s MPs to stay at ritzy hotel accommodation during this week’s regional parliament – including two of the four Cairns MPs.
The politicians are in Cairns for this term’s regional parliament – the first such sitting since Townsville in 2019.
Contracts on the Queensland Parliament Services disclosure log show accommodation costs for the running of the parliament have so far added up to about $187,000.
It reveals MPs and staff have been staying at the Hilton Cairns, understood to be Labor members; the Shangri-La, which the LNP is calling home; and, a Mantra hotel.
But News Corp understands Labor’s Michael Healy and Craig Crawford are staying at home, with Speaker Curtis Pitt and Cook MP Cynthia Lui staying at hotels.
Parliament clerk Neil Laurie said the rules on accommodation for regional parliament were applied the same as they were in Brisbane, and were dependent on whether they lived within the city limits and their ministerial status.
Mr Laurie said the rules meant some MPs – such as Mr Healy – were not given taxpayer-funded accommodation, as he was not a minister and because of where he lived.
The Speaker and Ms Lui live outside the Cairns boundaries.
Mr Crawford would have been able to stay in the city at a hotel, but chose not to.
Mr Laurie also said MPs were entitled to claim a daily allowance on top of their accommodation – about $120 per day – but said not all chose to claim the extra funds.
Mr Pitt was in the spotlight after missing the start of Tuesday’s session after sleeping through his alarm, and then leaving early citing illness.
The Speaker was absent on Wednesday and Thursday– again citing illness – with deputy Joe Kelly stepping in.