Anika Wells, the communications and sports minister, has come under fire after it emerged she expensed nearly £100,000 on a trip to New York to promote the government's social media ban for children under 16. Taxpayers were charged around £35,000 for her business class flights on the journey, which she insisted was necessary despite delays caused by the Optus triple-zero crisis.
Further scrutiny revealed that Wells claimed thousands for family travel, including attendance at the Boxing Day Test, the Melbourne Grand Prix, and a skiing trip to Thredbo with her husband and children while she attended a Paralympics event. She also billed taxpayers for a friend's 40th birthday party in Adelaide that coincided with official business.
Under the “family reunion” travel rules, MPs can claim three return business class flights for spouses and children. Last quarter, such travel cost taxpayers nearly £600,000. The rules, which date back to the 1920s, were originally designed to facilitate family life for parliamentarians but have drawn criticism as overly generous.
Critics argue that many politicians choose not to use these perks, aware of the potential for scandal. For instance, home affairs minister Tony Burke repaid £8,600 for a family trip to Uluru in 2012, admitting the cost was “beyond community expectations”. The opposition has called for Wells to refer herself to the independent watchdog, though ministers maintain she has not broken any rules.
The controversy threatens to overshadow the government's social media ban, which comes into force this week. Instead of promoting the policy, Wells faces repeated questions about her spending. Labour appears reluctant to reform the travel provisions, despite growing public discontent.
