Cory Bernardi has staunchly defended his use of taxpayer money to travel to an anti-abortion fundraiser, saying the media has a double standard in reporting parliamentary entitlements.
On Monday Guardian Australia revealed Bernardi had claimed nearly $500 in travel entitlements in Brisbane on the day he was the guest speaker at a fundraising dinner for the Queensland branch of the anti-abortion group Cherish Life. The South Australian senator cited “electorate business” as the reason for lodging the claim.
Bernardi told Guardian Australia the expense was legitimate because politicians’ responsibilities were “broad-ranging”.
“I suspect if this was an event to support the Bali Nine ringleaders or some cuddly mammal you [the media] wouldn’t bat an eyelid,” he said. “I’ll use every chance I get to speak up in defence of unborn babies and the culture of life.
“Frankly, the media need to grow up and recognise that politicians’ responsibilities are broad-ranging and cover many topics and areas of community interest.”
The South Australian independent senator Nick Xenophon said on Tuesday he thought the expense was legitimate.
“If an MP is going to an event that relates to their beliefs, their policies, that relates to their parliamentary duties to advocate for a particular case – whether you disagree with it or not – that would be within the rules,” he said.
The Queensland state president of Cherish Life, Teresa Martin, told Guardian Australia it was not the organisation’s place to comment on the use of parliamentary entitlements.
But she said Bernardi’s views on abortion were well known and that Medicare subsidies for abortion services made the issue a commonwealth one rather than state-specific.
“One would think that in his roles as a senator, he could speak on federal matters of interest,” Martin said.
Martin said Bernardi’s book, The Conservative Revolution, was on sale at the event so the senator could sign copies for Cherish Life members. The books had been purchased by the group and profits went back to the group, not to Bernardi, she said.
A fellow Liberal, MP Andrew Laming, also backed Bernardi. “They sound like legitimate community events that one is invited to,” he said on ABC TV. “The problem is that raising money for yourself or your party is clearly out of bounds.
“They sound legitimate. I can’t pass judgment on this. The community ultimately decides, doesn’t it, so if we can be a little clearer, the areas that are clearly grey are expensive charter trips into areas where you are simply doing one very quick event and not for the benefit of the community.”
But the Greens deputy leader, Larissa Waters, was outraged. “I don’t know the details of whether Mr Bernardi has actual portfolio responsibilities or how his South Australian constituents are represented by him speaking to an abortion rally in Queensland,” she said.
“I don’t know why Cory Bernardi thinks it’s his job to tell women what to do with their bodies, and he certainly should not be claiming taxpayer money for trying to appropriate women’s self-determination.”
Both Waters and Xenophon called for greater transparency on parliamentary entitlements through the appointment of an independent third party who could oversee how expenses were applied.
The issue of expenses was thrust into the spotlight after it emerged that the former Speaker, Bronwyn Bishop, used a taxpayer-funded helicopter to get to a party fundraiser. Subsequent revelations on the questionable use of entitlements, including billing the taxpayer for travel to two colleagues’ weddings, led to Bishop resigning from the speakership.
The social services minister, Scott Morrison, said it was time to focus on other matters.
“I understand how angry people have been,” he told Macquarie Radio on Tuesday morning. “We will deal with the entitlements issue but we also have to get on with the job now of running the country.”
