Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr has launched a scathing attack on Communications and Sports Minister Anika Wells, questioning whether the politician's staggering taxpayer-funded travel bills would pass the 'pub test'. The minister is under intense pressure following revelations she spent over £220,000 on flights and expenses, including multiple trips to Paris and a costly dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant.
Mounting Scrutiny Over Ministerial Expenses
The controversy intensified last week with news that Wells spent approximately £100,000 to fly herself and three staff to New York in September. The trip was to promote Australia's proposed social media ban for teenagers. However, fresh details released on Sunday have poured fuel on the fire, revealing a pattern of expensive travel charged to the public purse.
It was disclosed that, as Sports Minister, Wells took three separate trips to Paris within a year in the lead-up to the Olympics, costing taxpayers more than £120,000. During one Paris visit, she dined at a Michelin-star restaurant, where the bill for dinner for four came to £1,000, with an additional £750 spent on drinks.
Family Trips and Grand Prix Tickets Add to the Bill
Further expenses have raised eyebrows, including a £3,600 three-day trip to Adelaide and £3,000 in travel costs for her husband and children to join her on a weekend ski trip to Thredbo in June. Taxpayers also footed a £1,800 bill for Wells and her husband to attend the 2024 Formula 1 Melbourne Grand Prix.
Despite the growing backlash, Wells, with the backing of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, insisted on Sunday that all trips were necessary for her ministerial duties, fully compliant with parliamentary rules, and strictly for work purposes.
'Does This Pass the Pub Test?'
Natalie Barr tore into the minister during her Sunrise show on Monday, echoing questions raised by independent MP Barnaby Joyce. Joyce had asked whether any other Australian would keep their job if they racked up £1,700 on dinner and drinks on their boss's credit card.
'None of us,' Barr replied emphatically. 'We have to put every single £20 Uber through a system like everyone else in Australia does. No one is getting £1,700 passed. So maybe the rules need to be changed. Everyone works away from home. It doesn't feel right, guys.'
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek defended her colleague, arguing the New York trip was vital and booked last minute due to issues with 000 outages in Australia. 'I can't answer for how the airlines charge, they do seem to charge like wounded bulls. It was very important that the minister was there,' Plibersek said.
Barr challenged this defence directly, asking: 'If that was your company, Tanya, and that ended up being the last-minute airfare, would you still say, 'look, let's stump up, it's still worth it', but it's our money? It's different, isn't it?'
She also questioned the fairness of MPs receiving three return business flights a year for family members, asking if the rules themselves require reform.
While Joyce conceded the New York trip had a reasonable purpose, he pinpointed the core public anger: 'What people have a problem with is when you go to dinner and charge the taxpayer £1,000 for dinner, and then follow it up with another one. It's an issue that seems to be no sort of connection between the money that she is spending and the job she's doing.'
