Parliamentarian travel
Principles-based framework
A parliamentarian must ensure that any expenditure for parliamentary business is consistent with the principles contained in the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017.
Parliamentarians must ensure that the principles are upheld, and they comply with the following obligations when claiming any work expenses.
The framework requires parliamentarians:
- use public resources for the dominant purpose of parliamentary business
- conduct their parliamentary business in a way that achieves value for money
- meet any conditions connected to expenses and allowances they claim
- are prepared to be personally responsible and accountable for their use of public resources in the conduct of their parliamentary business
- are prepared to publicly justify their use of public resources in conducting their parliamentary business
- act ethically and in good faith in using, and accounting for the use of, public resources in the conduct of their parliamentary business.
More information is available on the Principles-Based Framework.
What is parliamentary business?
‘Parliamentary business’ includes activities that fall within four streams:
- Parliamentary duties: covers activities of the parliamentarian that relate directly to the parliamentarian’s role
- Electorate duties: activities of the parliamentarian that support or serve their constituents
- Party political duties: activities of the parliamentarian that are connected with both their political party and their membership of the Parliament, or the redistribution or abolishment of their electoral division
- Official duties: activities that relate to the parliamentarian’s role as an office holder or minister
In a parliamentarian’s capacity as a member of the Parliament, parliamentary duties include:
- preparing for, participating in and attending to business arising from proceedings of the Parliament, whether by committee of the whole or otherwise
- developing, reviewing or amending legislation or proposed legislation, and activities engaged in for that purpose
- undertaking research, communication (including with stakeholders) or administration connected with the business of the Parliament, the member’s policy portfolio, or their role as a member
- preparing for, participating in, or attending to matters arising from an official government, parliamentary or vice regal meeting, event or function
- preparing for, participating in, or attending to matters arising from a meeting (including with stakeholders), event or function for the purposes of their role as a member, including in relation to the member’s policy portfolio
- preparing for, participating in, or attending to matters arising from a non-Parliamentary committee, taskforce or other formal group in which the member participates
- representing the Parliament, in accordance with an approval of the Parliament or a House of the Parliament, and engaging in associated activities for that purpose
- representing a minister or office holder in their official capacity, at the request of that minister or office holder, at a meeting, event or function
- representing the Government or Australia, with the approval of the Prime Minister.
Did you know? For ministers representing the Government or Australia in their capacity as a minister, it is considered part of their official duties.
In a parliamentarian’s capacity as their constituents’ elected representative, electorate duties may include:
- facilitating and participating in debate, discussion, a meeting, event or function, or undertaking research or administrative functions relating to matters of importance or interest to constituents (including matters that do not relate exclusively to constituents, such as matters of national importance)
- otherwise communicating with constituents
- representing the views and interests of constituents.
In a parliamentarian’s capacity as a member of a political party, political duties may include:
- formal meetings of the political party (including a meeting of the party executive, a committee or a subcommittee)
- national, state or territory conferences.
In a parliamentarian’s official capacity as a minister or office holder, official duties may include:
- exercising the powers or functions, or performing the duties, of the parliamentarian’s office, or activities engaged in for the purposes of doing so
- attending an event to which the parliamentarian has been invited in their official capacity
- other activities directly related to, and engaged in for the purposes of, performing the parliamentarian’s official role.
Further information on parliamentary business is available in the Parliamentarians Business Resources (Parliamentary Business) Determination 2025.
More information
- Additional information on the Principles-Based Framework can be found on the Legislative Framework page.
- For travel related queries or advice, please contact IPEA on (02) 6215 3000 or by email to enquiries@ipea.gov.au.
