Sarah Hanson-Young again trips up on expenses payments

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has again failed to promptly reimburse taxpayers for expenses she was not entitled to.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young yesterday. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has again failed to ­promptly reimburse taxpayers for expenses she was not entitled to, the latest in a series of instances where the party’s finance spokeswoman has left government ­invoices unpaid for more than 120 days.

Senator Hanson-Young, 36, who this year marks her 10th year in the Senate, worked briefly as a bank teller ­before entering politics. But despite having a key economic portfolio, she has shown a disregard for the proper management of her own government funding.

The Australian routinely uses Freedom of Information laws to identify any MPs and senators who have failed to meet the 30-day payment terms on government invoices. The government has strict rules on such matters and, like the politicians themselves, staff to help ensure expenses and entitlements are managed responsibly.

According to the latest FOI ­release this week, Senator Hanson-Young was invoiced $1234.90 on July 11 last year for “reimbursement of hire car” but left it unpaid for at least 129 days. In that time, she would have received at least half a dozen written reminders, separate to the normal accounting system alerts in her office.

Liberal senator Ian Macdonald was also listed as owing $1374.22 for at least 233 days, while fellow Liberal Craig Kelly owed $382 for at least 151 days, and Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher owed $10.93 for at least 130 days.

The amounts were overdue on the date the FOI request was submitted, November 17, and paid sometime before the list was ­released to The Australian on Monday.

Since becoming finance spokeswoman in 2016, Senator Hanson-Young has frequently been on the overdue payment list held by the Department of ­Finance and, more recently, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority.

Her previous debts have also far exceeded those of other politicians.

 

In 2015, she was invoiced $15,186.34 for overspending on staff travel, requiring a year-long payment plan, while in 2016 she was invoiced $20,460.76, again for staff travel overspending, and left that bill unpaid for 355 days.

Senators have a base salary of $200,000 and at least four staff who are allowed to accompany them anywhere in Australia on official business. They also receive an electorate allowance of $32,000 and additional resources to serve their constituents.

Senator Hanson-Young has not previously spoken to The Australian about her financial management and would not comment yesterday.

She is also the Greens’ media and arts spokeswoman, however, and in that capacity ­released a statement demanding the Turnbull government respond to the allegations against performer Craig McLachlan.

“We expect and demand governments to step in when a company fails to pay its workers,” she said in the statement. “We must demand the same when a company fails to protect them.”

Greens leader Richard Di ­Natale, through a spokesman, yesterday said he had full confidence in Senator Hanson-Young continuing as finance spokeswoman, noting all payments had been made.