Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has been requested to justify her personal parliamentary bills this morning, amid elevated scrutiny on parliamentarians relating to their use of household journey entitlements.
Asked on Nine’s Today present about her personal journey bills within the interval from 2019 to now racking as much as a complete of $30,000, McKenzie mentioned, “I feel it’s essential for all MPs to not abuse the system, proper? The truth is, for my very own sporting occasions that I am going to, you already know… these are work occasions, whether or not I’m going to a delivery convention, the trucking spherical desk, logistics, provide chain conferences, they’re not as thrilling as going to a few of these sporting occasions.
“It’s as a result of I’m shadow minister for infrastructure, and we glance after issues like stadiums and the like… so I attend in these kind of capacities, so it’s in my position which is a good privilege.”
McKenzie was additionally pressed on whether or not the parliamentary entitlements system needs to be reviewed or overhauled.
“The predominant factor is, I feel that it’s clear, and so all the pieces is said and on the general public document. And if you happen to actually hate that your native MP did that, you’ll be able to vote them out on the subsequent election.
“I word the PM mentioned, you already know, with respect to Anika Wells, he doesn’t write the foundations. Well, the Prime Minister does write the foundations. So if he thinks they want altering, then he ought to write to the unbiased authority and take a look,” she mentioned.
