Malcolm Turnbull reveals Sussan Ley has resigned from front bench

HEALTH Minister Sussan Ley will resign from the frontbench after her excessive spending of taxpayer dollars.

HEALTH Minster Sussan Ley has resigned from the frontbench as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a crackdown on MP overspending.

It was revealed this week Ms Ley spent almost $7000 on two flights between Australian capital cities and attended a wedding on the Gold Coast and bought an apartment during taxpayer-funded trips.

Mr Turnbull announced in a press conference on Friday Ms Ley planned to resign. He said it was the right decision.

“She has made a judgment that is, I believe, in the interests of the government and she has made an appropriate judgment and I do want to say that I thank her for her service over many years,” he said.

In a statement, Ms Ley said it was a personal decision but she was confident she followed the rules.

“Not just regarding entitlements but most importantly the ministerial code of conduct,” she said.

In the statement, Ms Ley said she was continuing to co-operate with a Finance Department review into her travel claims and would not object to the material she’s provided being made public.

“Whilst I have attempted at all times to be meticulous with rules and standards, I accept community annoyance, even anger, with politicians’ entitlements demands a response,” she said.

“The team is always more important than the individual and I look forward to serving both the Liberal Party and the government well into the future.”

It has not been revealed who will take over the health portfolio, but Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash has been suggested. Mr Turnbull hinted at a ministerial announcement next week.

Meanwhile, NSW politician Arthur Sinodinos will act as Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Sport.

The Prime Minister said he would not go into the scandal any further.

“The important thing now is to ensure that future Australians are absolutely reassured that parliamentary expenses are — which are work expenses after all — are appropriately spent by parliamentarians,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a new plan to manage MP spending. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

On Friday Mr Turnbull also announced a new management plan for parliamentarians’ work expenses.

He said the government would create an independent body to review spending to ensure taxpayer funds are spent appropriately and in compliance with government rules.

Currently the government reviews parliamentarian spending.

“Australians are entitled to expect that politicians spend taxpayers’ money carefully, ensuring at all times that their work expenditure represents an efficient, effective and ethical use of public resources,” Mr Turnbull said in Sydney.

“As politicians, backbenchers and ministers, we should be as careful and as accountable with taxpayers’ money as we possibly can be.

“We are dealing with other people’s money.”

The independent parliamentary expenses authority will monitor and adjudicate all claims by MPs, senators and ministers to ensure taxpayer funds are properly spent, Mr Turnbull said.

It will be governed by an independent board and will include a person experienced in auditing, the president of the remuneration tribunal, a former judicial officer and a former MP.

Health Minister Sussan Ley justified her spending on Friday.

Parliamentarians’ expenses will be made available monthly and in a searchable format, he said.

“We owe the people of Australia the greatest transparency and the greatest accountability,” he said.

“Having this information available regularly — monthly, as I said — that will ensure, I believe, a great change in transparency and accountability.”

Mr Turnbull said he would make further announcements about ministerial arrangements next week.

The government will also continue to implement the recommendations of a report handed down in 2016 following the Bronwyn Bishop expenses scandal, he said.

Federal Minister for Health Sussan Ley has resigned. Picture: Evan Morgan

Fairfax Media reported on Friday Ms Ley justified her expensive private flights, which she took in 2014 and 2015.

Ms Ley’s spokesman claimed she had booked commercial flights but last minute circumstances meant she couldn’t board them.

She claims in July 2014, when she was the Assistant Minister for Education, the Productivity Commission made a late decision to launch a report into childcare, preventing her from catching her flight from Canberra to Melbourne.

She had a commitment in Melbourne to open the National Association of Mobile Child Care Services conference and she claims the only way she could get there in time was if she took a $6300 chartered flight.

“In order to ensure both important ministerial commitments were met, the most time-efficient and cost-effective direct form of transport available between the two cities at that time of day was organised within official rules,” the spokesman told Fairfax.

In regards to the flight in 2015, which coast almost $7000, Ms Ley claims a late request from the Prime Minister meant she couldn’t board her already booked commercial flight from Canberra to Adelaide.

Labor Senator Penny Wong said Ms Ley should have resigned a week ago, and Mr Turnbull was “too weak” to make her resign earlier.

Ms Wong said the Opposition welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to crackdown on MP spending and was happy to work with him on the plan.

— with AAP