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Parliamentarians' Expenditure on Entitlements Paid by The Department of Finance and Deregulation

Contents

• Parliamentarians' Certification Details
• Explanatory Notes
• Notes on Columns in Summary Tabling Document
  • Notes on Columns in Summary Tabling Document PDF Version [ – 50KB]
• Payment of Parliamentary Entitlements

Parliamentarians' Certification Details

• January to June 2011

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Explanatory Notes Relating to Parliamentarians' Expenditure On Entitlements for the Period January to June 2011

Process of Compilation

In accordance with past practice, the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) prepared the draft reports using data captured in their business systems used to process Parliamentarians' entitlements. The draft reports were then provided to each Senator and Member in order for them to confirm their transactional information or notify Finance of any amendments required. If an amendment was advised to Finance by a Senator or Member, it was checked against the source data (such as invoices and records of payment held by Finance). Following a reconciliation of the data, an amendment (if appropriate) was made to the draft report and Finance's records adjusted. If required, copies of amendments were provided to each Senator and Member.

Finally, each Senator and Member was provided with a copy of their report in the format to be tabled.

Based on the process outlined above, the information contained in the Tabled report is considered to be an accurate statement of payments made, and receipts received, by Finance, for the period 1 January to 30 June 2011, in respect of the expenses of Senators and Members, based on the information available to Finance.

Notes in the Tabled report

The Tabled report relates to payments made, and receipts received, by Finance for the period 1 January to 30 June 2011 for entitlements of Parliamentarians. For example, in regards to travel entitlements, this is not necessarily for travel actually undertaken during the period. This is due to the fact that travel accounts (payments and receipts) are sometimes processed in a reporting period other than when the travel takes place. The reasons may include advance bookings made and paid for in one period and used in a subsequent reporting period and recrediting costs in a later period for a cancelled booking in an earlier period. Other entitlements may have similar accounting and processing issues.

Goods and services purchased by Finance on behalf of Senators and Members are reported exclusive of recoverable Goods and Services Tax (GST). This is in accordance with the requirement that all agencies report all expenditure as exclusive of recoverable GST.

The Tabled report comprises:

• aggregate information on entitlements (including domestic travel, car costs, overseas travel, Travelling Allowance, office facilities costs, office administrative costs and family travel) for all Senators and Members; and
• supporting information particular to each Senator and Member on costs incurred by, and any repayments to, Finance on entitlements for two separate reporting periods:
• expenditure paid between 1 January and 30 June 2011, relating to the entitlement period on or after 1 January 2011; and
• expenditure paid between 1 January and 30 June 2011, relating to the entitlement period prior to 1 January 2011.

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Notes on Columns in Summary Tabling Document

1. TRAVELLING ALLOWANCE: these are payments made to Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Presiding Officers, Opposition Office Holders, Leaders of a Minority Party and Senators and Members within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

2. OVERSEAS TRAVEL: these are payments made for travel overseas within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011:

   • Ministers, former Ministers, Presiding Officers, the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition and their representatives (and accompanying spouses (including de facto partner) and staff costs); and
   • Senators and Members on parliamentary delegations and study tours.

3. DOMESTIC SCHEDULED FARES: these are payments made for the purchase of tickets on domestic scheduled services within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

   This total includes any refunds received during the period but does not necessarily cover the cost of all flights taken in the period. Travel may have been undertaken before the beginning of the period, or booked for travel in a subsequent period, but the account paid during the period. Travel may have been undertaken during the period but the account will be paid for in a subsequent period.

4. CHARTER: these are payments made to charter operators for the provision of air or surface charter transport within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

   The charter entitlement is available to Members representing large electorates and all Senators (except those representing the Australian Capital Territory) in and for the service of their State or Territory, and to Ministers, Opposition Office Holders, the Leader of a Minority Party and Presiding Officers, for official business. There is also provision for the Special Minister of State (SMOS) to approve charter travel in special cases. Where there is a payment made during the period, it has been further categorised as Ministerial Charter, Office Holder Charter (for Opposition Office Holders and Presiding Officers), Leader's Charter (for the Leader of a Minority Party), Within Electorate, Representing a Minister, or SMOS Approved Charter.

5. CAR COSTS: These costs include the following:

   Private Vehicle Allowance: these are payments made to Senators and Members for the use of their private vehicles for travel between Canberra and their home base on parliamentary business within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011;

   Private-Plated Vehicle*: these are payments made for the hire, insurance, maintenance costs and fuel costs of Commonwealth-leased private-plated vehicles within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011;

   COMCAR: this is the cost of COMCAR trips billed for each Senator and Member within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011. The figures exclude costs associated with the Parliament House shuttle service; and

   Other Car Costs: these are payments made against Cabcharge, Canberra-based private-plated vehicles* and invoices for hire cars not supplied through COMCAR within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011. For Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Presiding Officers, the figures include the cost of car transport paid by their portfolio Department/s.

   *Where Senators and Members make financial contributions for a private-plated vehicle, these have been reflected in the tabling document.

6. OFFICE FACILITIES: these are payments made against property operating costs for offices (lease, power, cleaning), telecommunications costs (fixed and mobile) within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

7. OFFICE FIT OUTS: these are payments made for office establishments, refurbishments and relocations within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

8. OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS: these are payments made against office requisites, office equipment, publications and printing and communications within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

9. FAMILY TRAVEL COSTS: these are payments made for domestic travel, including use of COMCAR and Private Vehicle Allowance, undertaken by the Senator or Member's spouse (including de facto partner), nominee, dependent child(ren) or designated person(s) within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

10. AIRLINE LOYALTY POINTS USAGE: this represents the estimated cost of airfares for flights undertaken on official travel and reported to Finance within the period 1 January to 30 June 2011 as funded by the use of airline loyalty points accrued in respect of previous Commonwealth funded travel.
    

    Figures are based on returns provided to Finance by Senators and Members, and may not include all use of airline loyalty points.

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Payment of Parliamentary Entitlements

• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Queensland
• Western Australia
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory
• Australian Capital Territory

 

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Contact for information on this page: capa@finance.gov.au

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