Brandis coughs up $1683 for trip

Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann responds to suggestions that two of his party members claimed $3000 in expenses to go to a friend's wedding.

ATTORNEY-General George Brandis will repay almost $1700 in expenses he claimed to attend the wedding of a Sydney radio shock jock two years ago.

After the expense claims came to light today, Senator Brandis this afternoon said he would repay the money to avoid any uncertainty about the circumstances of the wedding of former radio host Michael Smith in December 2011.

But he said he still considered he was within parliamentary entitlements to make them.

"I considered that those costs were within parliamentary entitlements, since they were incurred in the course of attendance at a function primarily for work-related purposes. I remain of that view," he said in a letter written today to the Finance Department.

AUSSIE COUSIN GOT CALL ABOUT BOAT

Senator Barnaby Joyce at the wedding of radio host Mike Smith (left) and Katarina Kroslakova (centre) at Bells hotel in Killcare, NSW. Picture: Sunday Telegraph

"It is clear that the relevant criterion is the purpose of the travel, not the nature of the event. However, I accept there can be uncertainty about the circumstances in which attendance at a private function for work-related purposes is within the entitlement. Each occasion must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

"I would prefer to resolve any uncertainty in favour of the taxpayer. I therefore enclose my cheque for $1683.06, which I understand to be the full costs incurred in undertaking that travel."

BOAT TASKFORCE HEAD ON HOLIDAYS ALREADY

The move comes after mounting pressure on Senator Brandis and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce as Labor moved to ramp up the pressure on the Abbott government over the wedding claims.

George Brandis was also a guest at the wedding who claimed the trip on expenses.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann today told Meet The Press all claims made by politicians needed to be made within entitlement.

"I don't know all the facts of the events reported this morning," Senator Cormann said.

"I understand obviously that Senator Brandis and Senator Joyce made a judgment at the time that the claims were within entitlements but I gather they will be having another look at those things and, if there is a need for change, those changes will be made."

Labor called for an investigation and a full refund from Senator Brandis and Mr Joyce after they claimed a trip to a radio shock jock's wedding on expenses.

Leadership candidate Bill Shorten predicted the pair, now Attorney-General and Agriculture Minister, would have to pay back about $3000 on flights, hire cars and incidental expenses on the trip to Mr Smith's wedding.

Senator Brandis has defended the claim because he was networking with a journalists who at the time was working on Labor MP Craig Thomson's HSU scandal and the AWU affair involving then prime minister Julia Gillard.

Mr Joyce has insisted there were lots of people from politics attending the wedding, held on the NSW central coast.

But Mr Shorten today said he expected an investigation to clear up the matter, which he described as ironic given his role as lead attack dog against former speaker Peter Slipper's expenses scandal.

"I think George Brandis and Barnaby Joyce will most likely have to refund the money," he said.

Guidelines allow MPs to claim travel and accommodation expenses for official business including "meetings of a government advisory committee or taskforce'' or '"functions representing a minister or presiding officer'' but not to meet journalists.

Mr Smith today took to his blog to say Mr Joyce had also appeared in a Sydney television studio to appear on the Bolt Report that day and could not appear on the show from his hometown of St George in western Queensland.

"The crux of Fairfax's story is that a member of the federal Parliament should not be reimbursed expenses for meeting with, travelling to see, or any other travelling expenses associated with attending on journalists," he said.

"I would like to know how many parliamentary expense claims have been approved for out of state attendees on Q & A, Lateline, or any of a range of other TV or radio shows or interviews with journalists/magazines/receivers of leaks."

He added: "I can tell you that the journalists at our wedding did not simply see George Brandis and Barnaby Joyce as normal wedding guests. George and Barnaby do not have the luxury of anonymity. Every move they make is analysed and reported on as it was that night too."

Mr Shorten today also questioned how Senator Brandis, who repeatedly target Labor while in opposition over the Thomson and Slipper scandals, could be now drawing up a new ministerial code of conduct.

"He was the opposition's lead attack dog on Peter Slipper," he said.

"I don't know if he is going to have a section on weddings."

Asked if there should be a police or Finance Department probe, Mr Shorten said: "I just wonder what George Brandis would say if it was a Labor person."

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