Misanthrope, you're certainly right that Carr, as foreign minister, was right to spend time travelling. It was part of his job, and he had to do it. I can even accept that, unlike our former Climate Change Minister, he would have needed to travel right up to the election. Foreign Affairs is a very different portfolio and cannot be postponed until after the ten months of political uncertainty are over.

However, we're talking about more than #360k in six months. That's nearly $2,000 a day. I just find that expense a little difficult to justify.

èconomic vandals in many many ways.

Solution: fixed salary payments, no expense accounts.

Must pay for all expenses with own money.
$57,000 trip suddenly costs half as much, if they go at all.

.....I have no doubt this sort of thing goes on with ALL politicians of both sides of Parliament.

Of cause they do Suze, I mean, why else would a lawyer/barrister take on a job with half pay, half a year away from home and more than half the population hating your guts.

The sad part is that most of these so called professionals are pass overs from the corporate world, you know, not good enough to cut the mustard.

Yet we still continue to pay peanuts.

I agree rehctub. They need to offer good salaries to attract the right sort of politicians.

Who, in their right minds, would become a career politician without these 'perks', when the basic salary is not lucrative enough?

It is apparently a tough job , with long hours sitting in Parliament, and much time away from their homes and family for most of the year. And then they have the public constantly whining at them and blaming them for all their problems!

I don't really mind their travel perks, as long as it is all above board and not made up.
If they are found to have rorted the system, then they should be sacked, and not just made to pay it back.

Dear Suse,

We've heard all about the travel rorts, the
attendance at private weddings, the use of
planes for book promotions, the claims for
charity activities, even private libraries
(George Brandis), and the list goes on.
Indeed politicians do have a lot to answer for,
and there's even more. The costs of our former
Prime Ministers is really staggering:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/former-prime-ministers-costing-us-millions/story-e6frfmd9-1225945641593#

"Nice if you can get it," indeed!