Bishop billed taxpayers for birthday bash

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Bishop billed taxpayers for birthday bash

6 yrs ago

A report in the Daily Telegraph alleges that Foreign Minister Julie Bishop billed taxpayers more than $1600 in flights and accommodation for a trip to Adelaide to celebrate her 60th birthday with family.

Government documents reveal Ms Bishop billed taxpayers $1341 for a one way flight from Perth to Adelaide to attend a birthday dinner with family on July 16. She also claimed $128 travelling allowance for the night and spent $159 on chauffeur-driven trips while in Adelaide.

A spokeswoman for Ms Bishop said the Foreign Minister had “parliamentary meetings and portfolio-related meetings” while in Adelaide and spent most of her birthday hosting the US Vice President in Melbourne.

The spokeswoman said all travel by the Foreign Minister was “within official guidelines” and the Minister found the accusations “particularly offensive” because her job had prevented her from attending numerous family events, including her sister’s wedding, family birthday celebrations, the christenings of her godchildren and family funerals.

What do you think? Should Bishop pay back the money she claimed for travelling to celebrate her birthday?

Read more at the Daily Telegraph

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28 comments

outlander

6 yrs ago

Give her a break..business and turning 60 same few days..not a kings ransom..and i think ministers are entitled to a government car...I would like to see her as prime minister..doubt ms bishop could be worse than turnbull..just saying

outlander...What about the rest of the money she has helped herself too? This one makes the other Bishop look generous. Australians don't need these parasites at all.

Lucca

6 yrs ago

There are many "parasites" that Australia doesn't need, dole bludgers, bogans, to name a couple, and J.Bishop is not one of them.

Good material for a PM.

Julie Bishop's actions display a conceited, selfish, greedy and very dishonest woman. They are all the hallmarks of today's Liberal politicians.

Wrong Jackie

labor politicians are more dishonest

The claim she made is within the current allowable expenses claim guidelines used by both labor and liberal

Raphael..I agree there are greed and corruption amongst the rest of Australian politicians too. One Nation is a great example. Taking advantage of legal loopholes does not make her greedy actions right.

Robin Hood

6 yrs ago

Wouldn't pass the pub test. Anyway it is reported that she had to buy a 32.000 dollar dress for the mid year charity ball in parliment house Canberra so she might be a bit strapped for cash... Give the poor woman a break.

moke

6 yrs ago

I don't go to Charity Balls, but I work for Charity but no one lets me buy new dresses to go to work. Her Pay packet would surely give her enough to purchase a new dress. Just another political user at the taxpayers expense.

She representing Australia

We dont want our foreign minister attentding functions dressed like a housewife now do we

Robin Hood

6 yrs ago

golliwog gran

6 yrs ago

I am curious to know if she recives any form of payment/allowance/reimbursement for clothing (shoes, bags, hats, jewellery, etc) worn when carrying out her official duties - eg meetings with foreign dignitaries or similar. This includes specific clothing needed due to religous observances.

Also, did any similar practce occur when Bronwen Bishop was Speaker of the House?

Stan

6 yrs ago

Well I'm in labour voter have been all my life, but I can't really grumble as to what she did, I think she works pretty hard even though she gets well paid for what she does.

outlander

6 yrs ago

jackie, what are the other monies (money) has she apparently helped herself to?

ray and raphael are much more on the " money "

apache

6 yrs ago

I think they all have their snout in the pig trough!! and they wonder why people are finding it very hard to respect or even like any of those in government. I thought there was a wacht dog doing something about this reckless spending etc?????

PlanB

6 yrs ago

Have people forgotten about the many people that died awaiting a payout because JULIE ASBESTOS BISHOP held off their cases TILL they died a dreadful death -- and don't give me the excuse that she was defending Hardies -- she would HAVE to have been a real BITCH to even want to do that -- and you can bet your life she sure is a REAL BITCH!

AS far as Dutton goes well he has about as much personality as a turd

Banjo

6 yrs ago

Bishop did not act on her own, she was part of a team doing their job for a client.

Do you know Dutton personally to describe him as such?

PlanB

6 yrs ago

No I do not know Dutton at all but I can tell by his attitude his face and body language what sort of person he is -- and I described it above

IF Bishop was doing a job as well it should have been charged the right way -- and she should have paid a said amount for her own personal time

What she did will undoubtedly fall within the guidelines for claiming expenses. All politicians from Local Government through to Federal Government will use the guidelines to keep their snouts in the trough. A trough, incidentally, that we keep filled. What is needed is for all guidelines to be removed and hard and fast rules to replace them. If a politician attends a wedding, for example, and uses the trip to announce a policy which takes up 30 minutes and then bills the whole weekend, including all travel expenses, as "business" then the should only be allowed to claim for the 30 minutes and pay the remainder themselves. The travel should also be pro rata.

The oversight committee that passes the expenditure claims must be disbanded and be replace by a department in the ATO. Just as business asks for employees to pay for things and claim back, so should our politicians. There should also be a full investigation into the items allowed to be claimed with any items deemed to be no longer applicable to be removed. Politicians are quick to add items for claim but are very slow to remove items no longer applicable. It's a safe bet that somewhere in the items allowable will be the ability to claim back stabling of a horse and groom.

Henry

6 yrs ago

They get a fantastic salary so put that towards the family "do's" and any other fancy non-political functions. It's just too amazing how a trip disguised as "work" can encompass so many other non-work activities - for a poly. Pure exploitation. Some good opinions here and of course the rabble.

Mamashaz

6 yrs ago

She has operated within the rules and the law. Many of the comments are aimed at her not the rules. Complain about the rules if you believe them wrong. Attacking someone for doing their job within the rules and the law is wrong. I don't even think the article has much merit. It seems to be aimed at stirring rather than looking at a real issue

PlanB

6 yrs ago

You should not have to have RULES you should KNOW whats right and whats WRONG

Banjo

6 yrs ago

In agreement with you Mamashaz.

jeffr

6 yrs ago

Rules and Regulations are for the Strict Obedience of GREEDY POLITICIANS and the guidance of WISE People

Janran

6 yrs ago

Spot on PlanB. They only ask themselves if it's allowed, not whether it's right or wrong. They learn this mindset very early - it's how they fill out their tax returns (or actually, how their very expensive financial experts do it for them, and that fee of course, is tax deductable).

Any genuinely fair pollie should be at the forefront to have the rules changed. But they all have their snouts firmly embedded in the trough. Then they have the hide to cry about the debt crisis! It's no wonder the deficit has tripled or more under these greedy bastards.

Meanwhile, they're squeezing blood from a stone by removing penalty rates for some of the poorest workers and giving themselves a big pay rise. They really stink. Like Dutton. The calibre of that man was clearly exposed when he joked with Abbott and Brandis about Pacific Islands drowning due to climate change, not realising their microphones were still on.

PlanB

6 yrs ago

You are SO right Janran, so right!

jeffr

6 yrs ago

The Asbestos women does it again.....another politician on the gravy train

catsahoy

6 yrs ago

they are ALL ON THE GRAVY TRAIN, gave themselves another rise last week, while taking the penalty rates from genuine workers, ALSO taking from those who can least afford it, in the pensions, they are all greedy thieving b.////sd.

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Bishop billed taxpayers for birthday bash

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