Explanatory notes - former parliamentarian expenditure

Scheduled commercial transport

Former parliamentarian domestic scheduled commercial transport expenses:

• former parliamentarians, other than former prime ministers, may access up to three return trips within three months after they cease to be a parliamentarian, for trips between their home base and Canberra or trips between their home base and the location of one of their offices provided to them as a parliamentarian
• former prime ministers no longer in parliament and their surviving spouses/de facto partners may travel in accordance with the Parliamentary Retirement Travel Act 2002.

Where a trip has multiple legs of travel, the cost of the whole trip may be reported against the first leg of travel.

Other car costs

Expenses for:

• private-plated vehicles including lease, insurance, maintenance and fuel
• use of COMCAR services.

Where a trip has multiple legs of travel, the cost of the whole trip may be reported against the first leg of travel.

Office facilities

Expenses for former prime ministers’ offices including:

• property operating expenses including lease, power, cleaning and supplies, parking, PO Boxes (where required) and office services
• office security
• property repairs and maintenance (including fixtures)
• fixed line telephone systems and services
• office furniture, equipment and storage fees.

Office administration

Expenses for:

• office stationery and supplies
• printing, production, distribution and communications, for both printed and electronic material
• purchase of, or subscription for, printed and electronic publications and associated service/administrative fees.

Telecommunications

Expenses for:

• office telephone and facsimile usage
• telephone services at former prime ministers’ private residences for official business as a former prime minister, including installation, maintenance, rental, transfer and call expenses.

Family travel

Domestic travel expenses for former prime ministers’ spouses (including de facto partners) including:

• domestic scheduled commercial transport
• use of COMCAR services.

Where a trip has multiple legs of travel, the cost of the whole trip may be reported against the first leg of travel.

Travel allowance

Allowances paid to former prime ministers for each night they stay in accommodation away from their home base, within Australia, when travelling as a former prime minister.

Employee travel

Domestic and international travel expenses (where the travel can be attributed to an employee).

For domestic travel, this includes:

• motor vehicle allowances
• travel allowances
• domestic scheduled commercial transport
• taxis
• regulated ride-sharing services
• hire cars
• toll and parking expenses
• other car costs.

Cabcharge taxi services incur a service fee and may incur a government levy. These fees are included in the total cost of the trip.

For international travel this generally includes:

• scheduled commercial transport
• meal and incidental allowances
• passport expenses
• international travel equipment allowances
• other related international travel expenses.

Other international travel expenses relating to employees, such as accommodation, meals (other than a meal allowance if provided), unscheduled commercial transport and related expenses cannot be attributed to individual employees due to limitations with the data provided to IPEA by third party suppliers. These expenses are included with the former prime minister’s international expenses for the trip.

The number of employees represents the number of employees with travel expenses in the reporting period, not the total number of staff employed by the former prime minister.

International travel

Former prime ministers’ expenses and allowances for international travel approved by the Prime Minister.

For former prime ministers and their accompanying spouses (including de facto partners), expenses include:

• commercial transport costs
• accommodation
• meals
• official hospitality
• travel and expense allowances
• passports
• equipment allowances
• medical
• other related international travel expenses.

Certain employee expenses are identified for each international trip. These expenses generally include:

• commercial transport costs
• travel and expense allowances
• passports
• equipment allowances
• other related international travel expenses paid to, or on behalf of, the employee.

Other international travel expenses relating to employees, such as accommodation, meals (other than a meal allowance if provided), unscheduled commercial transport and related expenses cannot be attributed to individual employees due to limitations with the data provided to IPEA by third party suppliers. These expenses are included with the former prime minister’s international expenses for the trip.