Published assurance reviews

This Assurance Review focused on Mr Llew O’Brien MP’s use of parliamentarians’ travel and work resources for family reunion purposes (family reunion travel resources) between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2023. The Assurance Review forms part of IPEA’s 3 Year Assurance Plan. Having regard to the information made available from Mr O’Brien, IPEA found that the use of family reunion travel resources was consistent with the legislative framework.

This Assurance Review focused on family reunion travel undertaken by Mr Colin Boyce MP and his spouse between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2023. The review examined whether the dominant purpose of Mr Boyce’s travel met the legislative requirements, including whether the travel was for the dominant purpose of parliamentary business and facilitating family life. IPEA found that Mr Boyce and his spouse’s travel was undertaken in accordance with the legislative framework.

This Assurance Review assessed whether there was any duplication of claims for travel expenses for Senator Nampijinpa Price’s travel to the Gold Coast between 19 and 21 October 2023. Sponsorship of some aspects of this travel was declared by Senator Nampijinpa Price on the Register of Senators’ Interests for the 47^th Parliament. IPEA found that the parliamentary business resources claimed by Senator Nampijinpa Price for this travel were consistent with the legislative framework. 

This Assurance Review on the use of parliamentary business resources by Mr Andrew Willcox MP between 1 April and 30 June 2023 was conducted as part of a review of the use of travel-related resources of new parliamentarians. Mr Willcox used resources to travel to Hobart, Brisbane, Adelaide and Cairns during the period in scope. Having regard to the available information, including the response and additional evidence provided by Mr Willcox, IPEA is satisfied the dominant purpose of his travel during the period in scope was parliamentary business and the use of parliamentary business resources was consistent with the legislative framework.

IPEA conducted an Assurance review examining parliamentarians’ travel using parliamentary business resources to, from or around Melbourne between 11 January to 8 February 2024, with a focus on travel associated with the Australian Open. A Preliminary Assessment found that 8 parliamentarians (Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, The Hon Peter Dutton MP, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, The Hon Michelle Rowland MP, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, The Hon Anika Wells MP, The Hon Mark Butler MP, Senator the Hon Don Farrell) had used parliamentary business resources for travel within the scope of this review. Following correspondence with the parliamentarians and having considered the available information, IPEA was satisfied that the use of parliamentary business resources by all 8 parliamentarians was consistent with the legislative framework.

This assurance review assessed the use of Commonwealth-funded travel for 7 parliamentarians and 16 of their staff, travelling to the Northern Territory for the Garma Festival in August 2023. The festival was sponsored by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). Some travel-related expenses were covered for guests officially invited by the NIAA. Six of the 7 parliamentarians identified in this Assurance Review attended the festival as officially-invited guests, sponsored by the NIAA. IPEA found that the expenses claimed by parliamentarians and their staff, with one exception, were consistent with the Parliamentary Business Resources Framework and the Commonwealth-funded Staff Travel Framework. No expenses were claimed under the Parliamentary Business Resources or Commonwealth-funded Staff Travel Framework that duplicated the expenses already covered by the NIAA-sponsored Garma Festival tickets. A staff member of one parliamentarian voluntarily contacted IPEA to identify that the travel allowance rate claimed by the parliamentarian had been incorrect and requested an invoice for repayment to align with the correct amount. The parliamentarian has repaid the invoice.