Assurance Review Memorandum – 2021/21 - Desirable Destinations – travel to Queensland, 2021 and Addendum

This Assurance Review examined travel using parliamentary business resources by parliamentarians to Queensland between 1 April and 31 July 2021. A Preliminary Assessment identified 5 parliamentarians who accessed business resources to travel to Queensland within the period (Senator the Hon David Fawcett, Mr Craig Kelly MP, The Hon Brendan O'Connor MP, Senator Jacquie Lambie, and Senator Sam McMahon). IPEA is satisfied that the dominant purpose of travel by Senator Fawcett, Mr Kelly and Mr O'Connor was parliamentary business and was not inconsistent with the legislative framework. Senator Lambie had a travel itinerary that was processed incorrectly; Senator Lambie's office requested that IPEA raise an invoice to amend the error, and it was paid in full. IPEA was unable to confirm whether Senator McMahon's travel was consistent with the legislative framework as no response was received to repeated requests for information. As Senator McMahon did not fulfil the requirements of the Regulations, the Senator was invoiced. As of 14 June 2022, the invoices had not been paid.

Following information provided by Senator McMahon in July 2022 regarding her use of Cabcharge during the period, IPEA removed these from the invoice. As Senator McMahon has not provided IPEA with information requested about the nature of her parliamentary business in Queensland, the remaining travel expenses and invoice stand. The revised invoice has not been paid.