New parliamentary data reveals that each federal politician in Australia now costs taxpayers an average of £1.13 million per year, including salaries, travel expenses, and office costs. The analysis by Daily Mail Australia examined 25 MPs and senators for the year to September 2021.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese's office was the most expensive, costing £2.58 million, comprising a £390,820 salary and £2.19 million in work expenses. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office cost slightly less at £2.53 million, including a £549,250 salary and £1.98 million in expenses.
Other notable costs include Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's office at £1.03 million and Senate leader Penny Wong's at £1.04 million. In contrast, Labor senator Deborah O'Neill's office cost only £601,550.
The expenses, sourced from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, exclude the prime minister's private plane transport and official residences. Between August 2018 and June 2019, operational costs for Kirribilli House and The Lodge alone totalled £2.6 million.
The data comes amid controversy over MPs claiming £291 per night travel allowance for staying in their own Canberra homes. Labor leader Albanese claimed £17,000 for 59 days during Sydney's lockdown, while Liberal MP Tim Wilson claimed £138,700 over five years for a property he bought in 2017.
