National security ‘no excuse’ for taxpayer funded flights to be kept under wraps

Defence experts, peak integrity bodies and former MPs have rejected claims that details about VIP flights for ministers cannot be published for national security reasons.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has paused the release of information on the use of the private planes by politicians. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Defence experts, peak integrity bodies and former MPs have rubbished Labor’s claims that details about VIP flights for ministers cannot be published for national security reasons, while teal independents say the absence of information on the taxpayer-funded travel will “erode public trust”.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has come under pressure in recent days over the number of VIP flights he has taken since April 2022, which cost the taxpayer more than $3m, and for the decision to pause the release of information on the use of the private planes by politicians.

News Corp reported last week that Mr Marles spent $16,000 to take a VIP flight from Labor’s nat­ional conference in Brisbane to watch the Matilda’s semi-final against England in Sydney.

Independent MPs David Pocock, Helen Haines, Allegra Spender and Kylea Tink called for more transparency over taxpayer-funded travel, with the Greens saying they would pursue the issue in parliament.

Senator Pocock told The Australian he had “serious concerns about the Albanese government once again citing security as a reason to avoid public scrutiny”.

“The extent and cost of the Deputy Prime Minister’s VIP flight travel, especially domestically, needs to be justified, particularly when millions of Australians are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis … it is unclear to me why the Deputy Prime Minister isn’t taking commercial flights, especially when travelling to watch a soccer game,” he said.

Strategic Analysis Australia director Michael Shoebridge said releasing information on flights that politicians had taken in the past would not be “a damaging new revelation”.

“It’s not secret, and any sensitivity is gone once travel has happened,” he said.

“There’s an embarrassing contrast with the US defence organisation, which releases huge volumes of data (that) our defence organisation says is classified and can’t be released.”

Earlier this year, a committee chaired by the Australian Federal Police told government the guidelines on special purpose flights were “not fit for purpose in regards to protecting security sensitivities”.

A spokeswoman for Mr ­Marles said he had not acted inappropriately in racking up more than $3m worth of flights at a time when the manifests were not being publicly released.

The Australian understands the government intends to recommence quarterly publishing of the data, following the review into the special purpose flight guidelines.

Bronwyn Bishop, a former Liberal MP forced to stand down following revelations she had used a private helicopter to travel to a party fundraiser 2015, questioned whether the government was trying to postpone publishing of the data until after the next election. “Of course it’s hypocritical,” she said. “I paid the $5000 (back) because I thought it was too much when I saw the amount. Perhaps Mr Marles would like to do the same.”

Chair for the Centre of Public Integrity and former judge Anthony Whealy said the absence of VIP flight data was “absolutely unacceptable”.

Scrutiny over taxpayer-funded flights comes as the parliamentary expenses system remains offline since Special Minister of State Don Farrell suspended the platform in November because of what Labor called unworkable software.