Footscray MP Marsha Thomson’s free junkets with Victoria’s Premier

A LABOR backbencher is costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, taking overseas trips as a “special adviser” to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Marsha Thomson gives the thumbs up to Tokyo airport.

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A LABOR backbencher is costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, taking overseas trips as a “special adviser” to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Footscray MP Marsha Thomson defended her junket lifestyle as “using my talents ... and putting them to good use for the state”.

The Sunday Herald Sun can ­reveal Ms Thomson has taken three trips overseas with Premier Andrews even though she has no official role.

It can also be revealed Ms Thomson has been given an office in a ministerial department in a move that has astounded MPs, ­including several inside Labor.

Ms Thomson, who earns $148,210 a year plus extra payments of about $17,000, now has a 36th-floor office as part of the ­Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and ­Resources — despite holding no ministerial title.

Senior colleagues say Ms Thomson is getting special favours to act as a Labor Right “spy” for the Premier, who is from the party’s Left faction — an ­accusation she rejects.

Marsha Thomson in China with Premier Daniel Andrews.

Serious questions have also been raised about the provision of departmental facilities for backbenchers and whether the MP’s frequent flying breaches ministerial travel rules.

Freedom of Information documents obtained by the state Opposition show Ms Thomson, elected in 1999 and last a minister under Steve Bracks in 2006, flies business class with the Premier.

Expenses files also show about $2200 was spent on meals and incidentals in the US in May 2015 and in China in September 2015. Another trip to China, and Japan, was taken in September this year.

Questions about Ms Thomson’s individual costs were rejected by the Premier’s office, which said he had disclosed his travelling party’s costs “in line with standard process”. This included a $113,000 bill for the Premier and five accompanying “ministerial staff” including Ms Thomson, for the 2015 trade mission to China and Japan.

The Premier’s office didn’t say how the MP’s role fitted within the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s own guidelines for ministerial travel, which clearly state: “Only ministers and parliamentary secretaries are eligible to undertake ­official ministerial travel.”

One minister joked Ms Thomson seemed to have “more offices than I do”, despite not holding a Cabinet post. Another MP said the situation was “bizarre”.

“She’s just a spy for Daniel, to tell him what’s going on in the Right (of Labor),” one MP said.

Marsha Thomson accompanied the Premier to the New York Stock Exchange.

Another Labor MP questioned whether previous leaders had ever had backbencher travel buddies, but an MP who backs Ms Thomson said at least the former minister had some expertise in trade.

Opposition spokesman Tim Smith said Mr Andrews must “come clean on the details of his murky arrangement with Marsha Thomson”.

He added: “Victorians would understand why the Premier needs to travel overseas to promote Victoria, but there is no explanation for a backbencher going with him every time other than it being a special reward for a mate. Marsha Thomson would now be more recognisable among Qantas flight attendants than people in her electorate.”

Mr Andrews’s spokeswoman, Lisa Maksimovic, said far costlier delegations had been sent overseas by the former government.

“The Premier’s overseas visits have been extremely successful — creating jobs for Victorians, opportunities for local business and investment in our state,” she said.

“Marsha Thomson is a special adviser on trade and innovation and as an experienced MP and former minister, adds great value in driving positive outcomes.”

Marsha Thomson joined the Premier at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

Ms Thomson said she was ­simply doing a job in the “trade and innovation space” at the Premier’s request.

“It’s using my talents and the expertise I’ve gained as a former minister and putting them to good use for the state,” she said.

“I’m happy to be used in that way. They’re not a lot of fun ... They are work trips and I take them very seriously. And if it advances Victoria’s opportunities into new markets and new investment and partnership opportunities for Victoria, and I can play a role in that, then I’m happy to.”

She laughed off factional “spy” accusations as “hilarious”.

Ms Thomson has also taken two foreign trips without the Premier since Labor won office two years ago, to New York and to Israel, the latter organised by Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Council.

She went to New York last year to investigate the city’s “entrepreneurial culture” with colleague Marlene Kairouz. In a travel report, the pair said they learned that Victoria was “incredibly risk-averse compared to New York”.

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