PETER

In Tasmania, Senator Stephen Parry, funeral director and now MP, says he can spend his government travel allowance in any way he likes.

In Britain, the same widespread attitude / rorting has precipated public anger and parliamentary chaos.

UK Telegraph (which broke story)
MPs’ expenses: how the British Revolution unfolded

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5370373/MPs-expenses-how-the-British-Revolution-unfolded.html

“It may have happened without bloodshed, riots or beheadings, but there can be no doubt that the events of the past week will take their place in history as the nearest thing any of us have seen to a British Revolution.”

vs

SPEND AS I LIKE:SENATOR
Damien Brown (The Mercury)
May 21, 2009 08:00am

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/05/21/74561_tasmania-news.html

TASMANIAN Liberal senator Stephen Parry says he is entitled to spend a taxpayer-funded allowance any way he wants.

He said yesterday he was legally given the taxpayer- funded travel allowance and felt entitled to use it to pay the mortgage of his Canberra unit or for dining out.

“Absolutely, you have to stay somewhere, you have to eat,” Senator Parry said. “My wife and I have been in a fortunate financial position to be able to make the decision to borrow money and buy this unit and, whether we use the whole of the allowance or part of it to pay off the mortgage, it doesn’t affect the taxpayers.

“They are no worse off.

“We get this allowance and how we use it is our choice, but it generally will go to those travel expenses.”

A News Limited investigation has found that a growing number of federal politicians are buying homes in the nation’s capital to live in during their parliamentary sitting weeks.

However, they are still claiming a travel allowance, so Australian taxpayers are paying them $215 a night to stay in their own homes.

The pecuniary interests list shows at least 40 MHRs and senators own properties that they classify as their Canberra residence. None of Tasmania’s five MHRs owns property in Canberra.

But three Tasmanian senators have been listed as owning property in Canberra – including Labor’s Kerry O’Brien and Helen Polley and the Liberals’ Mr Parry, who said there were “a few more” who “shared properties with other pollies”.