Bianca Hall Bianca Hall is immigration correspondent
July 8, 2013
Tony Abbott. Photo: Edwina Pickles
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had to repay $9400 in travel expenses accrued while he promoted his book Battlelines in 2009, it has been revealed.
Freedom of Information documents show Mr Abbott repaid the expenses in 2010, despite initially describing the allegations through a spokesman as ''a blatant attempt by Labor to smear and mislead''.
Mr Abbott made the trips in July and August 2009 - before he became Opposition Leader in November 2009 - to promote his book.
The trips included promotions at a Melbourne bookshop and Canberra's National Press Club.
The case was revealed at the weekend by former Fairfax journalist Margo Kingston, who published the FOI documents on her website, No Fibs.
The revelations led to former trade minister Craig Emerson suggesting Mr Abbott should stand down as Opposition Leader, following the lead of former Speaker Peter Slipper.
''Mr Abbott seems unwilling to apply to himself the standards he sets for others,'' Dr Emerson told Fairfax. ''He sits in judgment of other members of Parliament but expects to be exempt from any judgment against him relating to the misuse of entitlements.''
When Mr Abbott repaid the money in full, special minister of state Gary Gray said he did not intend to take any further action.
Mr Abbott's office said: ''As the government has made clear, this matter was resolved more than two years ago.''
According to the documents released, Mr Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, wrote in October 2010 that the flights ''were inadvertently booked as official travel, rather than private''. ''I enclose a full repayment of all outstanding costs … amount $6255.49.''
In January 2011, Mr Gray wrote to Mr Abbott's office noting $3141.93 more had been paid by Mr Abbott's office for outstanding entitlements. ''Given the repayments made, I do not intend to take any further action in relation to this matter,'' Mr Gray wrote.
''However, I take this opportunity to remind you that, in future, similar payments should not be made by the Commonwealth to be later reimbursed.''
He cautioned Mr Abbott against using staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act to perform tasks outside the boundaries of their jobs, including arranging travel for a book tour.
Mr Slipper faces allegations he misused Cabcharge dockets to visit Canberra wineries in hire cars in 2010, at a cost of $1194 to taxpayers, before he became Speaker.
He faces the possibility of jail if found guilty.
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