From Fairfax:
As many as one in five federal politicians are using their travel allowances to supplement the cost of second homes in Canberra.
Politicians are entitled to claim $273 a night when they travel to Canberra for Parliament or other business and many keep second residences in close proximity to Parliament House.
Representatives for ministers including Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Social Services Minister Christian Porter, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Assistant Defence Minister Michael McCormack confirmed they stay in houses or apartments they own and claim the travel allowance when in Canberra, which can work out at a minimum of $1000 a week or $18,000 a year.
I have no issue with pollies being subsidised to stay in Canberra but those allowances being channeled into investments in property (note, not “investment properties”) is just another rorting of the system that deepens the housing distortion.
Ban it.
