Recent media stories about Federal politicians’ travel raise questions about what’s OK (passes the pub test) or unacceptable (snouts in the trough).
Following years of scandal and controversy, in 2017 the Coalition Federal Government, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, established the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) to advise, report on and audit work expenses of parliamentarians.
Since winning office, the Albanese Labor Government has not increased entitlements according to ABC News, but in February 2025 Special Minister of State Don Farrell made regulations to clarify some rules including the definition of parliamentary business.
Taxpayers fund Family Reunion as part of Federal Politicians’ travel entitlements
Most people understand that it’s necessary for taxpayers to pay for Federal politicians’ travel to Canberra and other places for parliamentary business.
Until recently, most people didn’t realise that parliamentarians are also entitled to family reunion travel benefit including a maximum of three return business class fares in any one year for spouse / partner / nominee / dependent children as well as travel to and from airports via COMCAR, taxi, or even public transport.
The family reunion benefits are provided to facilitate the family life of the parliamentarian’s family. Senior politicians such as ministers and the Opposition Leader have more generous entitlements for their spouse and dependent children to travel at taxpayer expense.
Details of Federal politicians’ travel expenses including family reunion are all made publicly available by the IPEA. You can search for your local MP and see how much their family reunion travel has cost the taxpayers.
We did a search for Henry Pike’s taxpayer funded family reunion travel expenditure since he was elected in May 2022 and here are the results.
| Calendar Year | Taxpayer funded Family Reunion Expenditure for Henry Pike MP |
| 2022 | $2,525.07 |
| 2023 | $5,826.09 |
| 2024 | $5,188.34 |
| 2025 | $4,597.67 |
| Total | $18,137.17 |
For context, the base salary of a Federal parliamentarian is currently $239,270. Because Mr Pike is an Opposition Whip, he gets a 12% pay loading worth $28,720 (it’s rounded up to the nearest $10.00) lifting his current total salary to $267,990.
So Henry Pike’s average annual Family Reunion travel expenditure has been worth about 1.7% on top of his current salary.
Andrew Laming the previous MP for Bowman
Henry Pike’s predecessor Andrew Laming, who held Bowman for the LNP from 2004 to 2022, made headlines for incurring family travel expenses which were ineligible because the travel undertaken was found by an IPEA audit to not qualify as parliamentary business.
In its report published on 24 March 2022 the IPEA made a ruling that Andrew Laming must repay the Government an amount of $8,288.04 plus a 25% loading. This brought the total amount to be paid up to $10,360.05.
Andrew Laming challenged the ruling in the Federal Court. His case was dismissed in 2024 with costs awarded against Dr Laming.
A Crikey story published in July 2025 said Andrew Laming had still not paid all of the money he owed to IPEA. But on its website, IPEA now notes in very small print that “Dr Laming has repaid the full amount”.
What do you think about Federal politicians’ travel benefits
Is it reasonable that Federal politicians get some family reunion travel benefits?
Is three return trips per year (e.g. one return trip for spouse and two kids) about right?
Should taxpayers pay for politicians’ family members to fly business class or economy?
Should ministers and other senior office holders receive more generous family reunion travel benefits than other parliamentarians?
Let us know what you think in a comment on this story, or in a letter to theeditor@redlands2030.net
