Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie billed taxpayers for flights

NATIONALS deputy leader Bridget McKenzie billed taxpayers for flights during a trip where she watched the cricket at the SCG, as more questions are asked over the MP’s travel expenses.

Deputy Nationals leader, Senator Bridget McKenzie, billed taxpayers for flights to catch the cricket. Picture: Kym Smith

NATIONALS deputy leader Bridget McKenzie billed taxpayers $1500 for flights during a trip where she watched the cricket at the SCG.

Channel 9 gave Ms McKenzie a corporate ticket to the cricket where she watched Steve Smith smash 164 to help Australia beat New Zealand by 68 runs.

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Documents show the Victorian Senator charged taxpayers $1512.08 for flights between Melbourne and Sydney on December 4 last year — the day of the match.

She also charged $167.20 for Commonwealth government car travel that day.

Her updated declaration on November 13, 2017, which is available on a government website, detailed she had received tickets to Richmond’s drought-breaking premiership, and corporate hospitality and tickets to the Melbourne Cup and Derby Day races this year.

Senator Bridget McKenzie has billed taxpayers for flights during a trip where she watched cricket at the SCG. Picture: Mick Tsikas, AAP Image.

But there was no record of her corporate hospitality courtesy of Channel 9 at the Australia v New Zealand match in Ms McKenzie’s parliamentary record of interests.

Under parliamentary rules, politicians must declare hospitality of more than $300 within six months.

Russ Street, a spokesman for Ms McKenzie, confirmed that she attended the cricket match, but he said that she did not take a guest.

He argued he believed the value of the tickets was under the $300 threshold required for an MP to declare gifts.

But Labor’s shadow treasurer Chris Bowen was also wined and dined by Channel 9, and he declared a single ticket.

NSW Labor MP Michelle Rowland also attended the cricket in Channel 9’s corporate box on December 4, 2016, which she declared tickets/hospitality for two people.

Mr Street said he was unable to check full records until next week about whether there were other official events on in Sydney that day.

“We will check our records but all of Senator McKenzie’s travel has been done under parliamentary guidelines,” he said.

A search of Ms McKenzie’s Twitter feed shows no public events on December 4, 2016.

Steve Smith en route to smashing 164 at the SCG, in front of Ms McKenzie. Picture: Brett Costello

Ms McKenzie has previously had questions raised about charging taxpayers for her travel to a shooting group’s award night in Sydney.

She charged more than $2000 for business class flights and Comcars for the Shooting Australia Awards of Excellence in February.

The Australian reported this month that there were questions about Ms McKenzie’s travel to the Gold Coast in September 2014.

Her office refused to disclose the purpose of her trip, despite taxpayers being hit with an $1100 bill.

Ms McKenzie was elevated to the deputy leadership of the Nationals this month after Fiona Nash was a casualty of the citizenship debacle.

She was also promoted to minister for sport, rural health and regional communications in a cabinet reshuffle this month