Julie Bishop defends AFL Grand Final travel at taxpayers’ expense

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has rejected attacks on her use of taxpayer-funded travel to attend the AFL Grand Final and other sporting events.

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has sternly rejected criticism of her use of taxpayer-funded travel to attend the AFL grand final and other sporting events.

Fairfax reports Ms Bishop attended the grand final in Melbourne on Saturday — along with many other politicians — after the AFL chairman joked she had arranged to hold a cabinet meeting at the event.

The report says her fourth consecutive grand final appearance.

But the foreign minister rejected the implication her travel was somehow improper.

“That article is wrong in a lot of respects and it makes a lot of assertions but no facts,” she told ABC TV.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop attends the North Melbourne football club grand final breakfast. this week. Picture: AAP

“All of my travel is within parliamentary entitlements.”

She said she worked closely with the AFL as part of Australia’s aid program in the Pacific Islands and had attended the “significant international event” of the grand final at the invitation of the league in her official capacity.

“I support political leaders — the prime minister, (Labor leader) Bill Shorten and others — attending the AFL grand final to show our support for this game and for the organisation,” she said.

Insiders host Barrie Cassidy said Ms Bishop was on the show at the ABC’s invitation, not the other way around, and they always encouraged guests to appear in the Melbourne studio.

Her comments come after News Corp Australia reported that she spent tens of thousands of dollars over five years visiting cities around Australia on the same day her beloved West Coast Eagles played there.