Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale slugs taxpayers for overseas trips despite holding no portfolios

Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale has defended spending more than $50,000 of taxpayer-cash on overseas trips in his first term in government.

High-flying Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale has defended spending more than $50,000 of taxpayer-cash on overseas trips in his first term in government, despite holding no portfolios or assistant ministries.

Mr Laxale billed taxpayers more than $33,000 for a trip to the USA in January last year for a West Coast Leadership Dialogue, as well as charging $23,000 for a trip to Belgium and France in his first year as an MP in 2022.

The Labor MP – whose electorate has a large Chinese population, with almost 30 per cent declaring Chinese heritage in the latest census – also travelled as part of a parliamentary delegation to China and Mongolia late last year, with those costs yet to be released.

And in July 2023 he flew to South Korea, where the Korea Foundation paid for his accommodation and meals – but information regarding the cost of his flights, and who picked up the bill, is not due to be tendered until later this year.

In Korea he attended a session of the country’s parliament, with that country’s media reporting Korean politicians used the event to call for closer-co-operation with Australia in the defence sector.

Former Ryde Council mayor and now Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale has been on four overseas junkets since entering federal parliament. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Laxale’s trip to Belgium included a visit to European Parliament, with a bilateral visit to France tacked on.

It’s understood the US trip undertaken by Mr Laxale had a focus on the tech industry, which links back to the Macquarie Park business hub – which houses a number of tech-businesses – nestled within his electorate.

A spokesman for Mr Laxale said Coalition and crossbench MPs had joined him on the various trips.

“Mr Laxale has travelled on bipartisan parliamentary delegations and overseas visits with other members of the Government, the opposition, the cross bench, and representatives of the Liberal and National parties,” he said.

“These trips are valuable opportunities to promote Australia’s national interests, which is why Mr Laxale was joined in these parliamentary trips by Keith Pitt, Karen Andrews, Keith Wolahan, Rowan Ramsey, other MPs and other figures from the Liberal and National parties.”

Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale during his maiden speech at Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mackenzie MP Keith Wolahan, himself a first-term MP for the Coalition, also went on four trips during the past term of government, including last year’s trip to China with Mr Laxale, as well as one to Israel and two to the US.

Mr Wolahan’s register of interests state his flights for the Australian American Leadership Dialogue held in Honolulu (AALD) in October last year were covered by the dialogue, while his trip to Israel was paid for by the Australia, Israel and Jewish Affairs Council.

“International engagement is in the national interest, including for new parliamentarians. That in no way detracts from delivering on our domestic duties. Each of the four trips in three years met that criterion,” Mr Wolahan said.

Senator Dave Sharma, who returned to federal parliament in late 2023 in the Upper House after losing the seat of Wentworth he previously represented in the 2022 election, has also taken three international trips since coming back.

Mr Sharma said none of his trips involved any expense to the taxpayer.

Originally published as Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale slugs taxpayers for overseas trips despite holding no portfolios