Stuart Robert contacted 'multiple' times since 2016 over massive home internet bill

Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert was asked "multiple" times by the finance department about his exorbitant home internet bills of up to $2800 per month, but continued on the same plan because there was "no alternative".

Mr Robert, who has a masters degree in information technology, has recorded monthly home data bills about 20 times higher than the average politician's since 2016.

Stuart Robert Credit: AAP

The Fadden MP said he used "around" 300 gigabytes of data in May 2018 and the charge of $2832 was a result of exceeding his data limit of 50GB and having to pay per gigabyte after that.

Mr Robert acknowledged the excessive charges were "much higher than anticipated and higher than what the community expects".

But this week, in response to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation committee questions about Mr Robert's internet bills, the Department of Finance revealed it had quizzed him more than once about why he was spending so much for data at home.

"As standard practice, the Department of Finance monitors all expenditure, including residential
telephone and data costs and will discuss alternative plans with parliamentarians if necessary," the agency told the committee.

"The Department discussed Mr Robert’s residential data plan with his office on multiple occasions since 2016," the agency said.

Special Minister of State Alex Hawke said the massive charges were not covered by Mr Robert's department-approved plan and did not meet community expectations.

Mr Robert said he had only been able to access mobile broadband with limited data capacity at his Gold Coast home but the National Broadband Network has now been rolled out there and he has moved to a new plan.

Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt, who asked the questions about Mr Robert's internet usage, said Mr Robert owes taxpayers an explanation.

"Was he ever asked to change internet plans?" Mr Watt said. "Was he warned about the costs he was forcing onto taxpayers? Why did he only act after his exorbitant costs were revealed by the media?

"Stuart Robert is just another out of touch LNP politician. While he’s cutting our schools and hospitals, he’s charging taxpayers for his expensive internet addiction."

A spokesman for Mr Robert said there was no alternative plan that "avoided significant excess data charges".

"Those excess charges in the departmental plan were paid in full by Mr Robert, as announced earlier this year,” the spokesman said.

Mr Robert repaid about $38,000 after the department of finance sent him an invoice on October 12.

In 2014, Mr Robert paid back travel expenses of $900 he used to fly to Sydney before going on a private trip to China where he attended the signing of a deal between Nimrod Resources and Chinese officials.

He resigned from the Turnbull ministry in 2016 when it was revealed that he owned shares in a trust linked to Liberal donor Paul Marks and his company, Nimrod Resources.

Mr Robert was one of the key numbers men in the August leadership coup and was promoted back into the ministry by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.