Communication and Sports Minister Anika Wells has asked the independent watchdog to audit her travel expenses after days of mounting pressure

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Embattled sports minister Anika Wells has asked the independent watchdog to audit her travel expenses after days of mounting pressure. The Minister has been under fire since it was revealed her office spent nearly 100-thousand dollars flying to New York to spruik the Government's teen social media ban at the UN general assembly. The revelations prompted further scrutiny of her other travel costs, including flying her family to accompany her at the Thredbo Ski Resort and other events.  Ms Wells insists her travel has all been within the rules but late today released a statement saying she's asked the independent Parliamentary expenses authority to examine her travel claims. The travel furore has proven a distraction for the government on the eve of a major policy launch.

Transcript

00:00Annika Wells hasn't fronted the media since Sunday.

00:05She's facing a barrage of criticism over her use of travel entitlements,

00:09including billing taxpayers thousands of dollars for family members

00:13to travel to sporting events she attended as Minister.

00:17Annika Wells insists the spending is within the rules,

00:20but the question is whether it sits outside of community expectations.

00:25The opposition is accusing her of taking taxpayers for a ride.

00:29Late today, she sought a circuit breaker,

00:32self-referring her spending to the independent watchdog,

00:35making the move for the avoidance of doubt.

00:38This furor risks robbing the government of the clear air it needs

00:42to sell its social media ban,

00:45which is exactly what Annika Wells was seeking to do

00:48when she flew to New York at great taxpayer expense.

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended