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Tony Abbott denies wrongly claiming expenses from 2009 book tour Tony Abbott denies wrongly claiming expenses from 2009 book tour
(2 months later)
The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has denied wrongly claiming expenses when doing his book tour for Battlelines, despite repaying the government more than $9,000.The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has denied wrongly claiming expenses when doing his book tour for Battlelines, despite repaying the government more than $9,000.
The autobiographical book was launched in 2009 with Abbott undertaking a tour to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.The autobiographical book was launched in 2009 with Abbott undertaking a tour to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.
After the tour he claimed $9,397.42 in travel expenses from the government but freedom of information (FOI) documents obtained by citizen journalism website No Fibs reveal he was asked to pay the money back after a finance department investigation.After the tour he claimed $9,397.42 in travel expenses from the government but freedom of information (FOI) documents obtained by citizen journalism website No Fibs reveal he was asked to pay the money back after a finance department investigation.
When asked at a press conference on Monday morning if he had wrongly claimed travel expenses while promoting Battlelines, Abbott replied: "No, I did not."When asked at a press conference on Monday morning if he had wrongly claimed travel expenses while promoting Battlelines, Abbott replied: "No, I did not."
He did not elaborate on the answer before taking the next question and ended the press conference after answering questions from two other journalists on the press club debate and the potential timing of the election.He did not elaborate on the answer before taking the next question and ended the press conference after answering questions from two other journalists on the press club debate and the potential timing of the election.
In 2010, when questions were raised by ABC television program The Drum, a spokesman went on the public record saying: "All travel undertaken by Mr Abbott has been within the entitlement. This is a blatant attempt by Labor to smear and mislead."In 2010, when questions were raised by ABC television program The Drum, a spokesman went on the public record saying: "All travel undertaken by Mr Abbott has been within the entitlement. This is a blatant attempt by Labor to smear and mislead."
When asked through a spokesman why he did not correct the public record after his office conceded to the finance department the expense claim was "incorrect" and repaid the money, a spokesman said: "As the government has made clear, this matter was resolved more than two years ago."When asked through a spokesman why he did not correct the public record after his office conceded to the finance department the expense claim was "incorrect" and repaid the money, a spokesman said: "As the government has made clear, this matter was resolved more than two years ago."
The FOI documents show emails between the finance department and Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, who writes that, though she was not employed by Abbott at the time, she has discovered through her own investigation that the flights were "inadvertently" booked as business flights rather than private flights.The FOI documents show emails between the finance department and Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, who writes that, though she was not employed by Abbott at the time, she has discovered through her own investigation that the flights were "inadvertently" booked as business flights rather than private flights.
"It should be noted that the fact Mr Abbott did not claim travel allowance associated with this travel with the exception of 6 August 2009 where portfolio business was the primary purpose of travel, indicate this understanding in the office," she wrote, to explain that the office did understand it was private business but a mistake was made when booking flights."It should be noted that the fact Mr Abbott did not claim travel allowance associated with this travel with the exception of 6 August 2009 where portfolio business was the primary purpose of travel, indicate this understanding in the office," she wrote, to explain that the office did understand it was private business but a mistake was made when booking flights.
Abbott repaid $6,255.49 but was later asked to reimburse the government a further $3,141.93 for other expenses he claimed during the trips including commonwealth cars.Abbott repaid $6,255.49 but was later asked to reimburse the government a further $3,141.93 for other expenses he claimed during the trips including commonwealth cars.
The travel was undertaken between 30 July and 14 August 2009.The travel was undertaken between 30 July and 14 August 2009.
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