A Bill for an Act to amend the law in relation to parliamentary entitlements, and for related purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
1 Short title
This Act is the Parliamentary Entitlements Amendment (Ending the Rorts) Act 2017.
2 Commencement
(1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.
| Commencement information |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
| Provisions | Commencement | Date/Details |
| 1. Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table | The day this Act receives the Royal Assent. | |
| 2. Schedule 1 | The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent | |
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.
(2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.
3 Schedules
Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.
Schedule 1—Amendments
Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990
1 After section 9
Insert:
9AA Accountability for claims relating to the cost of travel
Reporting business undertaken while travelling
(1) If a member claims a benefit in relation to the cost of travel (whether as a member, Parliamentary office‑holder or Minister), the member must include in the claim details of:
(a) any Parliamentary business, electorate business or other official business undertaken by the member while travelling; and
(b) any private business undertaken by the member while travelling that is so significant, or occupies so much time, that it could reasonably be regarded as one of the reasons for travel.
(2) The details must include:
(a) a description of the business undertaken; and
(b) an assessment of the time spent undertaking the business.
(3) The Secretary must publish the details as soon as reasonably practicable after the claim is made.
Auditing travel claims
(4) As soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, the audit body must:
(a) examine the claims made by members for benefits in relation to the cost of travel; and
(b) determine whether the members were entitled to the cost of travel claimed.
(5) As soon as practicable after the commencement of this section, the audit body must:
(a) examine the claims made by members for benefits in relation to the cost of travel that took place between 8 September 2013 and the day on which this section commences; and
(b) determine whether the members were entitled to the cost of travel claimed.
(6) The audit body is:
(a) the Secretary; or
(b) if the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority has been established, that Authority.
(7) The audit body must, as soon as practicable after the audit of travel claims is completed:
(a) prepare a report of the audit; and
(b) publish the report:
(i) if the audit body is the Secretary—on the Department’s website; or
(ii) if the audit body is the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority—on the Authority’s website; and
(c) give a copy of the report to the Minister.
(8) The Minister must table a copy of the report before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the day on which the Minister receives the report.
Reporting criminal conduct
(9) If the audit body believes on reasonable grounds, as a result of an audit carried out under subsection (4) or (5), that an offence may have been committed in relation to the claim or receipt of a benefit in relation to the cost of travel, the audit body must report the finding to the appropriate law enforcement agency.