Well if we're going to point finger at members
of one political party in all fairness we should
take a look at the goings on of some other MPs
current and former MPs.

Take Attorney-General George Brandis - who defends
spending more than $20,000 of taxpayer's funds on a
personal library and a custom-built book-case.

Take the current PMs charging for charity events,
sporting challenges, personal book tours, and for
his and five of his colleagues to attend personal
weddings and so on.

Then there's the case of Arthur Sinodinos who defends
$200,000 salary that he received at the ICAC inquiry.
He's said to make up to $20 million if AWH won a
lucrative contract with the Sydney Water Co on which
Mr Sinodinos was a Board Member.

Then of course lets not forget Australia's 5 living
former PMs who cost the taxpayer $3 million each year.
Mr Howard is the biggest spender apparently.

Mr Howard is costing the taxpayer more in retirement
than he did while running the country.

John Howard's salary was $33,000 as PM since
retirement he's racked up over a $1 million at taxpayers expense.

He has a lavish Sydney Harbour office. He's spent
$1180 for TV and video system, $3622 for office equipment,
$2510 for office furniture, $6082 newspapers and periodicals,
$7739 mobile phone bills,$1432 for calls from a home phone,
$1834 on office calls, $4300 office security, $21,361 on
airfares, more than $21,600 on cars and more than
$318,000 on private staff.

And the list goes on.

Yes, some certainly do know how to live and milk
everything for what it's worth.

cont'd ...

Ooops, excuse my typo.

It should read that Mr Howard's salary was
$330,000 as a PM. Not $33,000 as I typed in error
in my previous post. Wishful thinking on my part.

Tut, tut, Foxy...they've found an instance where someone from the other side has refitted their "parliamentary" office.

They've found an example - we shouldn't spoil their enjoyment.

Of course, we won't mention things like:

"Mr Abbott has defended his expense claims yesterday after it emerged he had charged taxpayers to travel to Port Macquarie to compete in an ironman event in 2011 at a cost of almost $1300.

Department of Finance records also show Mr Abbott has used travel entitlements to take his family to AFL Grand Finals and Derby Day in Victoria.

The family trips cost taxpayers more than $10,000 and a charter flight to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which he attended with one of his daughters, last year cost $8800.

Mr Abbott last week paid back $1700 he claimed for attending the 2006 weddings of former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella and expense-scandal-plagued ex-MP Peter Slipper."

That's:.... "a charter flight to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which he attended with one of his daughters, last year cost $8800."

http://www.news.com.au/national/prime-minister-tony-abbott-claimed-over-10000-for-family-travel-in-2012/story-fncynjr2-1226735051089

And I can go past John Howard's own contribution to the subject.

"PRIME Minister John Howard has set a record for his taxpayer-funded RAAF VIP jet taxi service between Sydney and Canberra.

Because Mr Howard chooses to live at Kirribilli House on Sydney Harbour and not at the prime ministerial official residence at The Lodge in Canberra, he uses a VIP jet to commute from home to work and back whenever Parliament sits.

Last year, the flight bill to taxpayers was $187,530 for direct operating costs (fuel, spares, crew) or a massive $1.6 million based on the full cost (lease, overheads) to the RAAF of operating two Boeing 737 business jets and four smaller eight-seater Canadair VIP jets for the Government.

If Mr Howard had flown Qantas business class, the bill to taxpayers for 123 flights would have been a mere $50,709."

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/pm-racks-up-16m-jet-bill/story-e6freooo-1111114448364

otb,

Would you care to look up all the other pollies and give us an update of their office refitting expenses....you know, just to be fair.

@P'rot,

<<You guys are a hoot!>>

What a quaint retort--very 1920ish

<<Why don't you peruse this "long long list" ...mostly from the LNP >>

Yes dear, we know, you've been rattling-on about such things since before the Abbott govt was sworn in--remember?

The OnTheBeach esposé about the Greens is notable because holier-than-thou Paul was foremost --along with (noiser-than-thou) you -- in his ridiculing of others.

Foxy,
You must have overlooked the $196,000.- salary incease when Rudd got the job. i'm sure you meant to mention that but just simply forgot.

Dear Individual,

Just as you seem to have forgotten Mr Campbell Newman's pay
increases -and Mr Abbott defending the increase in
MPs salaries just after the Federal MPs went up by
44,000 and they got another boost of $5,550. Mr Abbott
explained that he's "working hard for every Australian!"
I guess they're all doing that - even Mr Rudd. ;-)