By Matthew Sims
Federal La Trobe MP Jason Wood spent more than $160,000 on printing and communications during the July to September 2022 period, according to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority’s (IPEA) latest expenditure reports.
Released last December, the certified expenses report highlighted Mr Wood’s office had spent a total of $161,276 on printing and communications alone, representing 63.77 per cent out of $252,886 total expenditure during July to September 2022.
According to the Department of Finance, MPs had an office expenses budget of $150,319.41 during the 2022–23 financial year, plus a distribution component which is calculated using the number of enrolled voters within the MPs electorate.
Mr Wood also topped the list in terms of a single charge out of all parliamentarians, clocking up a $71,626 printing and communications bill on June 30, 2022.
According to the Department of Finance, printing and communications charges can be claimed against a minister’s budget for a range of printing, production, distribution and communications activities.
However, a parliamentarian may only claim an expense or an allowance, and may only use a public resource, for the dominant purpose of conducting their parliamentary business and provides value for money.
Mr Wood also recorded $21,939 spent on employee travel for six of his employees, a further $2788 on family travel and $45,735 on office facilities, which can include the cost of rent, utilities and furniture.
In terms of travel, he spent a total of $7686 on accommodation, including two nights of accommodation at $421 a night in Brisbane in August, as well as $1208 in cancelled accommodation costs.
While Mr Wood did not clarify details behind the expenditure, he said all charges followed the appropriate guidelines.
“I can confirm all expenses are in line with what is allowed under Commonwealth guidelines,“ he said.
Holt MP Cassandra Fernando’s total expenditure for the July to September 2022 period was $105,808, including $24,063 on printing and communications, $50,920 on office facilities and $7024 on travel allowances.
Bruce MP Julian Hill’s total expenditure for the July to September 2022 period was $114,967, including $4570 on employee travel, $45,165 on office facilities and $8000 on travel allowance.
Former Monash MP Russell Broadbent’s total expenditure for the July to September 2022 period was $101,893, including $45,217 on printing and communications, $4188 on employee travel and $5003 on travel allowances.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese topped the total expenditure for parliamentarians during the July to September 2022 period, with $684,665 in total expenditure, including $512,232 in employee travel ($30,853 international and $481,647 domestic), $22,432 on printing and communications and $113,315 for his own international travel, including trips to Indonesia, Spain, France, the UK and Singapore.
The IPEA announced that reporting of parliamentarians’ work expenses and the travel expenses of their staff has recommenced following the completion of the reporting module in the Department of Finance’s Parliamentary Expenses Management System (PEMS).
