REVEALED WINGS CLIPPED

PROMISE TO FIX HURRICANE’S TICKET FIASCO MPs cost $ 280,000 less

COVID- 19 has saved taxpayers the equivalent of $ 1000 a day in running expenses for Tasmania’s 17 federal MPs — as travel costs have been slashed.

An analysis of MP expenses for the first nine months of 2020 shows no overseas travel and big reductions in domestic airfares.

THE COVID pandemic has clipped the wings of Tasmania’s high- flying politicians — saving taxpayers around $ 1000 a day.

The state’s federal MPs claimed $ 4.3m in expenses in the first three quarters of 2020 — though not a single dollar for overseas travel — and a greatly reduced amount for domestic flights.

Tasmania has five members of the House of Representatives and 12 senators.

A Mercury analysis of their expenses claims reveals our federal members claimed an average of $ 257,213 in expenses each in the year to September 30 for travel by themselves, their family and their staff; car costs; office and employee expenses.

But travel restrictions imposed because of the pandemic kept politicians closer to home last year, saving $ 280,000 in the first nine months of 2020 in Tasmania alone.

Liberal senator Richard Colbeck’s average per- quarter expenses claims fell by 83 per cent in 2020 compared with the previous year and independent senator Jacqui Lambie’s claims dropped by 43 per cent. Labor’s Julie Collins reduced her expenses by 39 per cent.

International travel for MPs cost taxpayers in the negative numbers for the year to date — thanks to Labor senator Catryna Bilyk reimbursing the commonwealth $ 6917 for the cost of taking part in a delegation to Qatar and Uganda in 2019.

Despite the drop in spending, Senator Lambie was the top claimant for domestic travel allowance with $ 25,797 for the year to the end of September, while Senator Colbeck, Minister for Aged Care, Services, Youth and Sport, claimed the most for domestic scheduled flights at $ 24,154.

Greens senator Peter Whish- Wilson spent the least with $ 3,424 in flights.

Senator Colbeck also claimed the most for family travel, seeking reimbursement for 21 airfares totalling $ 8087 in 2020 — about nine times the average for Tasmanian MPs for the period.

Ten MPs spent nothing at all on family travel, the average total claimed for the three quarters was around $ 800.

Liberal MP for Braddon Gavin Pearce was the highest claimant for unscheduled travel, racking up $ 4112 in fares for flights from Burnie to King Island, King Island to Burnie and Burnie to Launceston.

Greens senator Nick McKim spent nothing on unscheduled travel, Labor’s Senator Bilyk spend just $ 9.78 and Helen Polley just $ 19.61.

Labor’s Brian Mitchell was the state’s most expensive MP for the three quarters of data released so far for 2020, with $ 349,198 in expenses — although that was down 10 per cent on the year before.

Senator Carol Brown was the least costly, claiming $ 176,779, just below Senator Whish- Wilson on $ 177,563.

Mr Mitchell spent $ 21,924 in car costs covering his big electorate of Lyons, while the most frugal — Mr Pearce — spent $ 5951 crisscrossing next- door Braddon.

Mr Mitchell said that in a large electorate such as Lyons, where he maintained two offices, it was not surprising he might top the list on occasion.

“It is swings and roundabouts. I’ve been really cheap on some things and more expensive on others. Once you’ve had a longer look it evens out a bit,” he said.

“Every dollar that is spent is spent serving the electorate and ensuring that I can do my job as an MP, which is to get out into the community.”

Liberal senator Clare Chandler racked up the biggest bill for office facilities, with $ 124,562 over the three quarters. Senator Whish- Wilson had the most economical office, claiming $ 57,995.

Mr Pearce was the champion spender on office administration, with $ 183,332, including $ 53,697 under the category of “distribution” in April alone. The lowest spender was Senator Lambie, at $ 39,770 over the three quarters.

But she was the biggest on employee- related costs at $ 65,115, claiming travel for up to seven employees, according to her claim details on the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority website.

The claim was about 10 times that of the lowestspending MP, Senator Bilyk, who claimed $ 6473.

Liberal senator Eric Abetz topped the list of claims for telecommunication, with $ 6058 to September, about 40 per cent above the average.