Speaker Bronwyn Bishop says she’s sorry for Choppergate expense scandal, but won’t resign

EMBATTLED Speaker Bronwyn Bishop admits her helicopter trip to Geelong was “just ridiculous” as she apologises for her misuse of allowances and entitlements.

Embattled speaker Bronwyn Bishop reiterates her apology to media at a local business chamber of commerce in Sale, Victoria. Picture: Mark Stewart

EMBATTLED Speaker Bronwyn Bishop admits her helicopter trip to Geelong was “just ridiculous” as she apologises for her misuse of allowances and entitlements.

Visiting Sale in Victoria’s east this morning, Ms Bishop said she regretted not apologising weeks ago.

“I am so sorry that I didn’t apologise earlier,” she said.

Ms Bishop said Prime Minister Tony Abbott had not ordered her to apologise or the repay the money, but that she did so because she thought it was “the right thing to do”.

Bronwyn Bishop in Sale. "I should have said sorry earlier.. I'll be working very hard to make amends." #auspol pic.twitter.com/ep7abu0SUP

— Tom Minear (@tminear) July 30, 2015

“On all these things, although it’s within the rules, it just doesn’t look right and therefore and I’m apologising and I’m repaying the money,” she said.

In a brief news conference, she said she was saddened that she had let the Australian people down but she refused to resign her position as Speaker.

She said she had asked the Department of Finance to review all her expenditure.

Asked if she had used taxpayers’ money to attend other weddings, Ms Bishop said: “I’m going through it, going back through our records and whatever I find that relates to a wedding, it will be repaid.”

Embattled Speaker Bronwyn Bishop speaks at a local business chamber of commerce in Sale. Picture: Mark Stewart

Earlier this morning Ms Bishop made her first apology for the travel expenses scandal on radio.

“I want to apologise to the Australian people for my error of judgment and say sorry,” Ms Bishop told 2GB.

“I know that I’ve disappointed and let down the Australian people.”

The apology comes as some senior Liberal colleagues believe she must go.

And two crossbench MPs said they would move a no-confidence motion against her when Parliament resumes.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said this morning he did not believe Ms Bishop would still be speaker when parliament returns in over a week.

“They hope that the whole thing will move on — but it’s been lodged in the minds of the Australian people,” Mr Shorten told ABC radio.

Ms Bishop yesterday told the Herald Sun: “I have the Prime Minister’s support.”

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The Herald Sun can reveal Ms Bishop also attended a third wedding of a Liberal colleague on the public purse, costing taxpayers $320 in 1999.

Bronwyn Bishop says she has the backing of Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Picture: Mark Stewart

The then aged care minister, attending the Melbourne society wedding of Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger and Anne Peacock, spent the night of March 13 partying with TV stars and millionaires at Crown casino.

She also claimed the same amount of travel allowance two nights earlier.

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Records from her 1999 expenses do not list a reason for claiming, other than “circumstances when travelling allowance is payable to ministers”.

Other wedding guests included then prime minister John Howard, treasurer Peter Costello and education minister David Kemp, none of whom claimed a travel allowance for that day.

Parliamentary itemised accounts from 1999 don’t show who paid for Ms Bishop’s flights.

Last night, her office could not provide trip details.

Serious doubts had earlier been cast over Ms Bishop’s travel claims to attend the weddings of Liberal colleagues Teresa Gambaro in 2007 ($288) and Sophie Mirabella in 2006 (around $600).

Julie Bishop has suggested the speaker “considers her position”

Some MPs have repaid costs they claimed to attend colleagues’ weddings, but Ms Bishop is defending hers as properly incurred as a parliamentary committee chairman.

The Speaker, 72, is being investigated by the Department of Finance for her use of charter flights, including a $5227 helicopter trip to attend Liberal fundraiser.

Ms Bishop said on Wednesday that Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, who had suggested she “considers her position”, recently “rang me and said I had her full support”.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne, the Leader of the House, urged Liberal MPs to “stand firm” behind the Speaker amid mutterings that she is a political liability whose position is becoming untenable.

Crossbench MPs Clive Palmer and Andrew Wilkie will move a vote of no confidence in Ms Bishop when Parliament resumes on August 10.

Mr Palmer said Ms Bishop had been skating on thin ice for a while.

“Our confidence motion has been building up from the actual Speaker’s activities in Parliament,” Mr Palmer told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program.

“The way she’s thrown 18 people out in one Question Time. She’s closed the parliament down. She’s closed all debate down and she’s got the record of throwing the most number of people out.”

Bronwyn Bishop has become a laughing stock on Facebook in a series of memes.

Mr Wilkie said: “Bronwyn Bishop is not a fit person to occupy the highest position in the House of Representatives.

“The member for Mackellar has abused parliamentary entitlements and treats public expectations with contempt.

“No wonder many members of the community question her integrity,” he said.

- with AAP