Indigenous Australians Minister spent $30k a week on staff travel during election campaign

Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy billed taxpayers more than $350k for staff travel in a twelve-week period, outspending Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

Minister Malarndirri McCarthy spent thousands every week for staff travel during the election. Pic: Fia Walsh.

Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy billed taxpayers almost $30,000 a week for staff travel during the election campaign, significantly outspending every parliamentarian except Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton.

According to Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) records, the Northern Territory Senator spent $352,390.20 on domestic travel for eighteen employees in the three months to July – equivalent to almost $30,000 a week.

This period included the four-and-a-half weeks ahead of the federal election on May 3.

Only Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and then Opposition Leader Peter Dutton spent more on staff travel during the same period, with Senator McCarthy outspending Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles by almost $50,000 and $100,000, respectively.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy.

Staffers for Senator Wong and Mr Marles travelled internationally during this period.

Under IPEA rules, MPs are permitted to bill taxpayers for staff travel during election campaigns, however strict conditions apply. Staffers must either be directed to travel by their employer or an authorised person on their behalf, and staffers can only travel to undertake official business to support their employer conduct their parliamentary business.

Flights in the Northern Territory – including in and out of Darwin – can be extremely expensive, with both Qantas and Virgin facing accusations of price-gouging.

Return flights from Darwin to Alice Springs can cost well in excess of $1000.

In response to questions from The Daily Telegraph, Senator McCarthy said all staff travel for the April to June quarter was within the rules.

“All travel and expenses have been accessed and reported in line with the relevant rules and guidelines”, she said.

“Ministers in the Albanese Government represent all 28 million Australians, regardless of where they live.”

“As Minister for Indigenous Australians – and Senator for the most remote jurisdiction in the country – I know how important it is to engage with remote Australians in their communities.”

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy in the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Martin Ollmam

Senator McCarthy was appointed as Indigenous Affairs Minister in July 2024, replacing Linda Burney following the failed Voice referendum.

Ms Burney’s biggest spending quarter during her tenure as Minister was April-June 2023, in the months ahead of the referendum, which saw her bill taxpayers $227,000 – more than $120,000 less that Senator McCarthy, though Ms Burney represented the inner Sydney electorate of Barton.

Senator McCarthy’s spending on staff travel from April to June was more than $100,000 greater than her spending on staff travel in any other quarter.

The seat of Lingiari – which covers over 99 per cent per cent of the Northern Territory – was closely fought during this year’s election campaign.

The seat was retained by Labor’s Marion Scrymgour, who recorded a 7 per cent swing towards her on primary vote.

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Originally published as Indigenous Australians Minister spent $30k a week on staff travel during election campaign