Two prominent Liberal MPs billed taxpayers thousands in expenses on a day they travelled to Sydney to toast the cause of ending wasteful government spending at a function for a new activist group.
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Senators Eric Abetz and Cory Bernardi claimed more than $2000 in expenses for travel to Sydney when they attended the 2012 local launch of the Australian Taxpayers' Alliance.
The ATA describes itself as an "revolutionary grassroots activist body" devoted to fighting "crippling levels" of government waste.
The Senators claimed for flights and about $800 in "official business" allowances on the day of the function.
Senator Abetz's office said he had flown economy class and had an "official meeting" in Sydney that day, but did not provide details.
"Even were it the case that Senator Abetz had no other meetings or engagements, it would be entirely appropriate for a Parliamentarian to attend the launch of a new stake-holder group," a spokesman said.
Under current rules MPs can claim expenses for functions that relate to official business connected to parliamentary business, electorate matters or their portfolios.
Beer and wine flowed at the event, which carried an entry fee of $90 and which was attended by prominent conservatives.
The ATA has said it did not profit from the event, held in a function room at the NSW parliament.
The group is run by former Liberal student federation president Tim Andrews, and is an umbrella organisation for a range of "grass roots" right-wing organisations, including "My Choice Australia" a free-market group that opposes plain packaging legislation and solarium bans.
Senator Bernardi, who reportedly helped fund Menzies House, a conservative opinion website edited by Mr Andrews and also part of the ATA, declined to comment on his engagements but said the Senator's travel was within the "spirit and the framework" of the rules.
The question of whether visits to para-political organisations are legitimately covered by travel entitlements is likely to be covered by a promised "root and branch" review of the entitlements system, due to report next year.
A number of Labor figures have been caught expensing the taxpayer for travel to a "Light on the Hill" dinner in Bathurst that raised funds for the party, including former Treasurer Wayne Swan who reportedly claimed $7000 for jet transport to the event in 2009.
Bill Shorten claimed $1300 in entitlements on a day he addressed a Maritime Union meeting – but like many politicians facing scrutiny, said he had other official work on the same day.
At the time, Senator Abetz was serving as the shadow minister for employment and workplace relations and the leader of the opposition in the senate. Senator Bernardi was the Shadow Parliamentary secretary for supporting families.
Last week, the Taxpayers' Alliance turned its attention to politicians' travel expenses.
"Loopholes will always be found, rules will be twisted, and travel will be within the letter of the law while totally missing its spirit," a post on its website this week reads. "Every time we are promised that the problem will be fixed […] but nothing ever changes".
The group has called for politicians' expenses to be posted immediately to their website.
