Opposition Writes To AFP: Speaker's Chopper Expenses Asked To Be Investigated

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop has been embroiled in controversy lately over spending AU$5,000 of taxpayer’s money to charter a helicopter. Even though she has agreed to reimburse the entire amount, in a recent development, the Federal Opposition has written to the Australian Federal Police, asking it to investigate the matter.

The Speaker’s office had said that the travel was conducted within the rules and she will reimburse the full cost of travel. The cost to charter a flight for her travel to a fundraiser program for Liberal Party, was met by using the taxpayer’s money.

Treasurer Joe Hockey o Thursday called on the Speaker to ask for an explanation on her extravagant travel expenses on taxpayer’s money. He admitted that it doesn’t look good and needs to be explained, after which she issued a formal statement that said, "I have today written to the Special Minister of State indicating I will reimburse the Department of Finance the costs associated with the use of my charter allowance on 5 November 2014".

Labor MP Pat Conroy criticised Ms. Bishop saying that she has failed to do justice to the position of Speaker by not acknowledging her wrongdoing.

"She's paid back the money very grudgingly and she has so far refused to apologise for the expenditure, so the question needs to be asked if no one had discovered this expenditure, would she have done anything about it?" he said. "She should reflect on her position because this undermines confidence in the Speaker."

The Opposition even demanded that Ms. Bronwyn Bishop must resign from her post as a Speaker. According to Sydney Morning Herald, Labor’s Finance spokesperson said that there is ‘no way’ that Mrs. Bronwyn Bishop can be Speaker any longer if she signed a form to charter a helicopter claiming it is an official business visit from Melbourne to Geelong, when she actually attended a Liberal party fundraiser.

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