Coalition MPs charge taxpayers $2,500 for trip to 2013 AFL Grand Final
September 2013
Finance Minister Matthias Cormann, Trade Minister Steve Ciobo and Tasmanian senator David Bushby charged taxpayers more than $2,500 for a trip to the AFL grand final in 2013. All three were guests of the National Australia Bank and received complimentary tickets and hospitality.
Senator Cormann billed taxpayers $3,533 for airfares to attend the 2013 match with his wife. In a statement his office said he had “official commitments before, during and after the AFL grand final weekend”.
Trade Minister Steve Ciobo charged taxpayers $1,102 for an airfare to the match. According to the ABC, his office did not respond to a request for comment.
Tasmanian senator David Bushby billed $863 for flights from Hobart to Melbourne and back again. Senator Mitch Fifield also attended the grand final as a guest of the National Australia Bank but did not charge taxpayers for any travel. He lives in Victoria.
A 30-year veteran of the mainstream media, Liz was the editor of MWMuntil June 2021. Liz began her career in journalism in 1990 and worked at The Age newspaper for two 10-year stints. She also worked at The Guardian newspaper in London for more than seven years. A former professional tennis player who represented Australia in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Liz has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Letters (Hons).