wobbles

'Runner - Gillard paid her claim back as leader of the Opposition back in 2007.
Abbott's claim was from 2006. '

she might have paid it back in 2006 but it was her defactos misuse/fraud etc not even her own. Could you imagine if the misuse was Margie Abbott. Liberals would have to stoop very low to reach the depravity of the former Govt. despite Poirots rantings.

ooh er, runner,

He's not only made BBC headlines: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24439974

He's also made The Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/australia-newzealand/article3889513.ece

As for "family", there's at least one question (amongst others) on a certain day at the races (Victorian Derby) in October 2011 for the Abbott family with an expenses claim of $5333.00 ($848,00 travel allowance, $3722.00 for flights and $763.00 comcar costs)

Runner,
What Gillard may or may not have done is irrelevant in the current situation.
The fact remains that both sides are guilty but it's mainly the Libs who have turned it into an art form.
It's no surprise that Howard is our most expensive ex-PM to support.

Here we have some self-righteous pollies caught with their snouts deeply in the trough while calling for restraint and cutting waste and the end of "the age of entitlement".
They claim to be sound economic managers but act mainly out of financial self-interest.

It doesn't stop with the polly-peddle, it relates to ALL Abbott's image enhancing photo-ops for ALL his sporting stunts.

Who expects to not only be paid for charitable work but to make a profit as well?

Posing as a phoney fire-fighter and leaving as soon as the cameras go is no more than a stunt.

This information plus all the documentary evidence (which is publicly accessible) has been out in the blogosphere for months and it's only now that the mainstream media are talking about it.

And he's not alone.

How many recall that Malcolm Turnbull claims the rent he pays while staying in his Canberra flat from the taxpayer - the flat owned by his wife?
Imagine the howls if it was somebody from the ALP.

Soon Barnaby Joyce's suspect property dealings with his secret Coal Seam Gas venture in the Pilliga will start to leak out as well as his financier - then we will have some real political entertainment reminicient of Eddie Obeid to keep us entertained.

There is no way that this government can claim to hold any sort of moral high-ground.

I'll repeat that it's odd that the subject of expense rorts has now been taken up by MSM. Even the ABC wouldn't touch it prior to the election - now it's headlines.

Both Labor and Coalition members have used the Minchin Protocol to repay expenses for which they were not entitled.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is one of the worst offenders - and even now is standing by his practice of charging the taxpayer for expenses when he takes part in cycle and surf competitions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-08/abbott-has-history-of-claiming-sporting-event-expenses/5010186

"A pattern is emerging of Prime Minister Tony Abbott using his travel entitlements to compete in sporting events around the country.

Mr Abbott today defended charging taxpayers for his travel expenses to lead the Pollie Pedal charity bike ride, and to also participate in an ironman event in Port Macquarie."

"But the ABC's 7.30 can reveal that Mr Abbott has claimed thousands of dollars to take part in various sporting events in recent years.

In 2012 he went to the famed Lorne Pier to Pub race in Victoria and claimed $1,444.

In August that year Mr Abbott went to Coffs Harbour for its cycle challenge, claiming $1,002.

The next month he went to Wagga Wagga for its Lake to Lagoon fun run and claimed $515."

So while many MPs have run up the odd expense claim only to have repaid, Mr Abbott is unapologetic about running up many thousands of dollars of questionable expense claims over a number of years.

Not a good look for a PM who campaigned against waste and reckless spending by govts.

we know Poirot abbott abbott abbott and abbott. this fixation seems to be distorting you.

<Hours after demanding an investigation into Coalition travel expenses, Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus has admitted to billing taxpayers for a ski trip to Perisher.

The shadow attorney-general said he will repay $466 for two nights' accommodation he claimed in August 2011, on the weekend between two parliamentary sitting weeks, after incorrectly claiming travel expenses.>

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/expenses-critic-mark-dreyfus-embarrassed-over-taxpayer-ski-trip-to-perisher-20131008-2v5sc.html