Entitlements: Barnaby Joyce booked military plane for quick trip to Tamworth on Mother’s Day

BARNABY Joyce enlisted a Defence force plane for a quick trip to Tamworth on Mother’s Day last year which ended up slugging the taxpayer $10,580.

BARNABY Joyce enlisted a military plane for a quick trip back to Tamworth on Mother’s Day last year that cost taxpayers $10,580 in total.

His round trip from Melbourne to Tamworth to Canberra on May 14 on a Special Purpose Flight came after he charged taxpayers for an overnight stay in Melbourne where he attended an AFL game.

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Mr Joyce’s initial flight to Tamworth, where his family home is, on the Royal Australian Air Force plane on May 14 cost $6440.

It then cost an extra $4140 for the flight back to Canberra the same day, where he then spent two nights for official business as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Joyce was the sole passenger on the plane both times, documents tabled in Parliament last week show.

It is within official guidelines to book the special purpose flights for “entitled persons to meet commitments associated with their official, parliamentary or political responsibilities, including electorate business”.

The Defence Department foots the bill for the flights for entitled persons.

Barnaby Joyce saw the round eight match between Geelong and Essendon at the MCG on May 13, 2017. Pictured above: Nakia Cockatoo in pursuit of Joe Daniher. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Mr Joyce had spent the previous night in Melbourne to attend an AFL match after spending the day touring Victoria for official business.

That included a $2300 special purpose flight to Albury on May 13 for a stop at Wodonga in the morning, to announce the town would be the home of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, then stops at Milawa and Shepparton.

He remained in Melbourne to attend a dinner and evening AFL match between Essendon and Geelong as the guest of the City vs. County, and claimed $442 in travel allowance for the overnight stay.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s office told News Corp Mr Joyce left Canberra on the Special Purpose Aircraft on May 13 for a regional tour of Victoria associated with the federal budget.

He returned to Canberra on the aircraft the following evening at about 6.30pm.

“The diary shows the Deputy Prime Minister did a regional tour of Victoria before attending the AFL dinner and match in the evening, before returning to Tamworth for electorate office work,” a spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said.

Happier times: Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Turnbull in Parliament, May 9, 2017. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“He then returned to Canberra for briefings and signing at Parliament House and to also do a live cross from the Sky studio on the Federal Budget.”

Mr Joyce’s expense claims, including the 50 nights in Canberra he claimed last year for official business outside of parliamentary sitting weeks, have been under scrutiny after The Daily Telegraph reported Mr Joyce was expecting a child with a former staffer.

His acceptance of an offer from his friend, multi-millionaire Greg Maguire, to live for six months rent free in his townhouse in Armidale has also been under scrutiny.

Labor has claimed the gift breaches ministerial standards.

Asked about the house and expense claims on Sunday, Mr Joyce told Fairfax Media: “I am and continue to be confident that there has been no misuse of travel or entitlements, nor that any has been or will be found.”

“I base that confidence on the fact that hundreds of inquiries have been made and nothing has been found,” he said.