Jacinta Price rips into Anthony Albanese for VIP jet bill and other expenses

Anthony Albanese has been lashed for racking up a massive travel bill, as one MP suggests a cap on parliamentarian travel might be needed to rein in spending.

Anthony Albanese has been criticised for spending nearly $700,000 on domestic and international travel and other expenses in the first three months of his prime ministership.

The expenses of politicians from the July to September 2022 period were released on Wednesday after an IT bungle delayed the process for over a year.

Mr Albanese claimed a total of $684,665 in expenses in the three months after Labor took power – with a majority, or $512,000, accounting for employee travel.

A separate dump of data detailing the cost of special purpose VIP flights using Defence jets was also released.

The Prime Minister spent $3.9m on domestic and international flights from May 2022 to June 2023.

Mr Albanese was lashed for spending so much on flights. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Speaking on Thursday morning, Coalition indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Price suggested the Prime Minister should reconsider some of his travel.

“I think as parliamentarians we have a responsibility when it comes to our travel spend,” the senator said.

“Some of us have quite vast electorates so it’s going to be larger than others but certainly I think the Prime Minister has to be a hell of a lot more considerate when it comes to his VIP jet bill.”

Senator Price, who represents the Northern Territory, spent $25,199 to fly around the country – mostly from her home in Alice Springs to Darwin and Canberra.

Senator Price said Mr Albanese needed to be more considerate of his costs. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Independent MP Dai Le, who was also on the panel with Senator Price, indicated she would be in favour of a cap on parliamentarian travel.

The representative for Fowler in Western Sydney said she understood the Prime Minister and his cabinet team do need to travel a lot but something should be done.

“I am always on the hunt for a bargain in terms of flights. I drive to Canberra, for instance,” she said.

“You know there’s VIP so, the jetsetting thing, can you take … You know cheaper flights for instance?

“I don’t know but something has to be done and, yes, maybe a cap will help … but I think it is up to the individual to be accountable and responsible with the money you spend.”

Ms Le spent just $731 on flights and another $1633 on car costs during the same period.

Originally published as Jacinta Price rips into Anthony Albanese for VIP jet bill and other expenses