By CAROLINE STRAINIG
Iron Man PM kept his eye on the prize …
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott is in hot water over expenses claimed for his visit to Port Macquarie to compete in the 2011 Iron Man event.
Earlier this week it was revealed Mr Abbott, who was Opposition Leader at the time, claimed $941 for return flights from Sydney to Port Macquarie and $349 for an overnight stay in Port Macquarie in November 2011.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Abbott’s parliamentary expenses report describes the overnight stay as “official business”.
The revelation made national headlines, coming only days after Mr Abbott refunded expenses for attending the weddings of former Coalition MPs Sophie Mirabella and Peter Slipper.
However, Mr Abbott has strongly defended the Iron Man visit expenses, saying he also attended other community events in the Port Macquarie electorate during the 2011 visit.
But since then it has been revealed that he has a history of claiming for sporting events.
The ABC’s 7.30 Report alleges Mr Abbott went to the Lorne Pier to Pub race in Victoria and claimed $1444, the Coffs Harbour for its cycle challenge ($1002) and Wagga Wagga for its Lake to Lagoon fun run ($515).
Predictably, his office has also strongly defended those expense claims, describing the sporting fixtures as “community events”.
The Opposition has been quick to try and make political mileage out of the expense claims, but failed to ensure its own cupboards were free of skeletons before doing so. It turns out that one of those leading the attack, former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, claimed more than $400 for accommodation at a ski resort – a claim he will now have to reimburse the taxpayer for.
Mr Abbott completed the 2011 Iron Man event in 14 hours, three hours before the cut-off. He has since stated publicly he would like to do the event again, subject to the demands of the prime ministerial schedule.
The 2013 Iron Man will be held in Port Macquarie on Sunday 20 October, with a strong field of entrants from Australia and overseas expected. At this stage, the prime minister is not among the publicised list of entrants.
