ScoMo tells MPs to stay in Australia for Christmas
With just over four months before the federal election, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has put the clamps on approving any unnecessary international travel by his MPs.
NSW
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With just over four months before the federal election, Coalition MPs have been told to think twice before embarking on overseas holidays.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has put the clamps on approving any unnecessary international travel.
However, MPs have been encouraged to take a Christmas break, with ScoMo himself having a “Sutherland Shire staycation”.
“He’s taking a couple of days off over Christmas,” a staffer said. “Very low-key.”
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield obviously can’t get enough of Canberra, where he will be during his two weeks off, while Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt is taking a short holiday in Bunbury, his wife’s home town.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is heading to SeaWorld on the Gold Coast with his three boys. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said his ideal holiday was one where he “slept in my own bed”, hence his Mount Martha staycation.
A whole clutch of senior pollies, including Attorney-General Christian Porter, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Energy Minister Angus Taylor, Industry Minister Karen Andrews and Small and Family Business Minister Michaelia Cash, will be spending time with their families over Christmas, but are not “technically” taking any leave.
“The minister will be around to do stand-ups if required,” Mr Dutton’s adviser said.
Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester will be hanging out at home with his family and new chocolate labrador Marlo, his staffer said.
It’s “turkey and tennis in Melbourne” for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
As for Labor leader Bill Shorten, he’ll be heading down the coast with the family, his office reports.
GHOSTS IN THE AIR
They’re known as “ghost flights” — chartered RAAF planes that fly empty after they pick up or drop off federal parliamentarians — and we can reveal there was almost $600,000 worth between January and June this year.
The trips contributed to a total bill of almost $4.2 million in chartered VIP flights across the continent, according to the Department of Defence Schedule of Special Purpose Flights report tabled in parliament.
The report revealed Senator Nigel Scullion took a VIP flight from Canberra to RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine in the Northern Territory, on January 10 at a cost of $18,327.
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It brought the senator and two other passengers back to Canberra at a cost of $16,986.
Senator Marise Payne had one flown to Perth on February 2 at a cost of $21,456, picking up herself and six others for a flight to Richmond. The plane returned empty to Canberra at a cost of $2682.
On March 12, an empty VIP flight from Canberra to Darwin cost $17,880, then retuned to Canberra with Mr Scullion and two others at a cost of $17,888.
Senator Mathias Cormann booked a VIP flight on March 17, which flew empty from Canberra to Sydney, where it collected him before flying to Perth at a cost of $25,032.
The following day it flew Mr Cormann, Mr Scullion and another passenger to Canberra at a cost of $15,645.
It all adds up to some pretty financially scary ghosts.
SNITCH OR NOT?
THE family accountant for Australia’s richest property developer has been accused of trying to snitch by senior Liberals.
Daniel Douma, finance manager for billionaire Meriton founder Harry Triguboff and his family, has been denied membership to the North Ryde branch of the Liberal Party.
The branch is home to Ryde Liberal MP and Finance Minister Victor Dominello, who is opposed to Meriton’s controversial plans to build a 42-storey tower on Talavera Rd in Macquarie Park.
According to Sauce correspondent Ben Pike, Mr Douma’s application was knocked back on Monday night amid accusations he is trying to gather intelligence on Mr Dominello to ensure Meriton’s building gains approval.
A Liberal insider said the branch would have been “crazy to let him in”.
“Dominello is at war with Triguboff and Meriton at the moment, and yet one of Triguboff’s closest advisers wants to suddenly join Dominello’s branch?” the Liberal said. “The branch saw this as an attempt by Meriton to gather information about Dominello on the sly.”
But Mr Douma, a North Ryde resident, said his bid to join had nothing to do with Meriton’s developments.
“I always wanted to join and my application has nothing to do with those projects,” he said. “Maybe it’s bad timing. If I had applied six months earlier or later I don’t think there would be a problem.”
Meriton Group general counsel Joseph Callaghan said Mr Douma’s personal political affiliations “have nothing to do with Meriton at all”.
Mr Dominello did not respond to requests for comment.
This month Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced an inquiry into overdevelopment in Ryde.
DOUBLE DOSE OF CHRISTMAS
Be thankful — Christmas is the one day voters are spared from campaigning ahead of next year’s state election.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian will be with family and friends, eating a mix of Armenian and Aussie dishes.
“I feel extra fortunate because I get two Christmases. My family celebrates on both December 25 and January 6 (the Orthodox Christmas),” she said.
“Having two Christmases means I have to keep up my Christmas decorations for longer, so in January I worry that my neighbours might think I’m lazy because I haven’t taken them down yet.”
Opposition Leader Michael Daley will celebrate with family at home in Maroubra.
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