Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Respectfully, assistant minister, while that must have sounded nice in your head, you didn't respond to the question. The question was: how was the amount arrived at which provides for an uncapped amount in relation to members of parliament of major parties each receiving, once elected, $30,000 in administrative assistance from the public purse each year, which equates, if one takes the current membership of our parliament, between this place and the other place, to some $4.82 million per annum from the public purse going to the three major parties for expenses, including conferences, functions, staff training, office accommodation and even payment of interest on loans? My question to the assistant minister is: can he please indicate to the House how this is of benefit to the Australian taxpayer? How was this calculation arrived at? And how does this expense of $4.82 million to the Australian taxpayer have any relevance or equivalence to actual costs incurred by political parties to do this? Or is this just a pork barrel to enable the public to pay for elements like interest on party loans, office accommodation, staff training, staff vehicles, functions, conferences and other ridiculous items that have been included in this section?

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