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| The Minchin protocol explained: expenses, repayments and Tony Abbott | The Minchin protocol explained: expenses, repayments and Tony Abbott |
| (2 months later) | |
| What is the ‘Minchin protocol’? | What is the ‘Minchin protocol’? |
| The Minchin protocol was introduced in 1998 to handle complaints of alleged misuse of expenses by federal parliamentarians. It is named after the then special minister of state, senator Nick Minchin, because he tabled the legislation. The protocol was established to avoid accusations of partisanship when handling claims of misuse from both sides of parliament, by having them handled by the Finance Department instead of at a ministerial level. | The Minchin protocol was introduced in 1998 to handle complaints of alleged misuse of expenses by federal parliamentarians. It is named after the then special minister of state, senator Nick Minchin, because he tabled the legislation. The protocol was established to avoid accusations of partisanship when handling claims of misuse from both sides of parliament, by having them handled by the Finance Department instead of at a ministerial level. |
| Under the protocol it is not uncommon for politicians to repay expenses which have been wrongly claimed, but the department will investigate the claims and ask for an explanation to ensure expenses were not claimed incorrectly on purpose. | Under the protocol it is not uncommon for politicians to repay expenses which have been wrongly claimed, but the department will investigate the claims and ask for an explanation to ensure expenses were not claimed incorrectly on purpose. |
| As part of the protocol, the exchanges between the office and the member being investigated are kept private, as is the result of any investigation. However, documents relating to travel expense repayments can be accessed through freedom of information (FOI) laws. | As part of the protocol, the exchanges between the office and the member being investigated are kept private, as is the result of any investigation. However, documents relating to travel expense repayments can be accessed through freedom of information (FOI) laws. |
| How much are politicians incorrectly claiming expenses? | How much are politicians incorrectly claiming expenses? |
| The latest FOI documents that can be found on the department’s website – apart from those relating to the opposition leader, Tony Abbott, which were posted on 5 July this year – are from 2010. | The latest FOI documents that can be found on the department’s website – apart from those relating to the opposition leader, Tony Abbott, which were posted on 5 July this year – are from 2010. |
| They show how much parliamentarians had to repay because of incorrectly claimed family travel entitlements between 2005 and 2010 (they also could have been asked to repay expenses claimed for other reasons, but that is not shown in these figures). | They show how much parliamentarians had to repay because of incorrectly claimed family travel entitlements between 2005 and 2010 (they also could have been asked to repay expenses claimed for other reasons, but that is not shown in these figures). |
| Leaving the former Speaker and now independent Sunshine Coast MP, Peter Slipper, out of the equation for now, over the period 29 Liberal and National party members repaid $57,064.34, while 22 Australian Labor party MPs repaid $31,089.02. | Leaving the former Speaker and now independent Sunshine Coast MP, Peter Slipper, out of the equation for now, over the period 29 Liberal and National party members repaid $57,064.34, while 22 Australian Labor party MPs repaid $31,089.02. |
| Together the Greens and independent MP Bob Katter repaid $2,003.47. | Together the Greens and independent MP Bob Katter repaid $2,003.47. |
| Controversies involving the Minchin protocol | Controversies involving the Minchin protocol |
| The repayments in the previous FOI documents were reported in the Daily Telegraph at the beginning of 2011 with the then prime minister, Julia Gillard, the only person asked to explain her repayments. | The repayments in the previous FOI documents were reported in the Daily Telegraph at the beginning of 2011 with the then prime minister, Julia Gillard, the only person asked to explain her repayments. |
| She said a family member had inadvertently used cab vouchers, thinking it was within the parliamentary rules. | She said a family member had inadvertently used cab vouchers, thinking it was within the parliamentary rules. |
| The latest controversy to arise out of expenses and the Minchin protocol has to do with Abbott, who had to pay back more than $9,000 he had claimed during the book tour for his autobiographical Battlelines. He had previously been asked about the expenses in 2010 by the ABC’s The Drum, and 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." | The latest controversy to arise out of expenses and the Minchin protocol has to do with Abbott, who had to pay back more than $9,000 he had claimed during the book tour for his autobiographical Battlelines. He had previously been asked about the expenses in 2010 by the ABC’s The Drum, and 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." |
| Citizen journalism website No Fibs published FOI documents over the weekend which showed Abbott was asked to repay the money after the report but, when questioned about it, Abbott initially said the matter had been dealt with. | Citizen journalism website No Fibs published FOI documents over the weekend which showed Abbott was asked to repay the money after the report but, when questioned about it, Abbott initially said the matter had been dealt with. |
| At a press conference on Monday 8 July he denied wrongly claiming expenses and the next day, when questioned again, said the expenses had been inadvertently claimed through his office. | At a press conference on Monday 8 July he denied wrongly claiming expenses and the next day, when questioned again, said the expenses had been inadvertently claimed through his office. |
| In each of the cases the Finance Department would have asked for an explanation and accepted it, though if the department suspected an MP or senator knowingly misused expenses an investigation could be launched. Under the Minchin protocol, neither an investigation initiated by the Finance Department, nor the results of such an investigation, can be made public, even if it involves referring a member of parliament to the police. | In each of the cases the Finance Department would have asked for an explanation and accepted it, though if the department suspected an MP or senator knowingly misused expenses an investigation could be launched. Under the Minchin protocol, neither an investigation initiated by the Finance Department, nor the results of such an investigation, can be made public, even if it involves referring a member of parliament to the police. |
| Why has Peter Slipper been charged by the police (as well as repaying money) instead of being allowed to just repay the money through the Minchin protocol? | Why has Peter Slipper been charged by the police (as well as repaying money) instead of being allowed to just repay the money through the Minchin protocol? |
| In Peter Slipper’s case, he has paid back more than $14,000 under the Minchin protocol. He is also facing charges, after an Australian federal police investigation, for allegedly misusing about $900 worth of cab vouchers in rides in a hire car with a driver to vineyards outside of Canberra. | In Peter Slipper’s case, he has paid back more than $14,000 under the Minchin protocol. He is also facing charges, after an Australian federal police investigation, for allegedly misusing about $900 worth of cab vouchers in rides in a hire car with a driver to vineyards outside of Canberra. |
| Slipper is yet to face court on the charges. This separate action has been taken because he is accused of knowingly misusing the cab vouchers. If the Finance Department found Slipper’s misuse of the cab vouchers was unintentional he would have been able to repay the money under the Minchin protocol. | Slipper is yet to face court on the charges. This separate action has been taken because he is accused of knowingly misusing the cab vouchers. If the Finance Department found Slipper’s misuse of the cab vouchers was unintentional he would have been able to repay the money under the Minchin protocol. |
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