Oliver Laughland, Paul Farrell and Nick Evershed
theguardian.com, Wednesday 23 October 2013
Treasurer claimed flight costs for himself and a family member but denies visiting his farm in nearby Malanda
The treasurer owns hundreds of hectares of farmland in Malanda outside Cairns and declares the property as a business interest. Photograph: Paul Miller/AAP
Just hours after Joe Hockey told MPs to "put your hand in your pocket" if claiming private expenses, questions have arisen over a trip the treasurer took in 2010 to Cairns, where he carried out a day's official business and then took a holiday but claimed the $924.02 cost of the inbound flight for himself and a family member.
Hockey, the member for North Sydney, owns hundreds of hectares of farmland in the Malanda region outside Cairns and declares the property as a business interest in his statement of registrable interests.
On 10 October 2010 Hockey and a family member claimed $924.02 for the flight from Sydney to Cairns. Hockey's office said he conducted official business on 11 October, which consisted of a local radio interview and meetings with local business people. It is understood Hockey took leave the day after until 17 October.
Asked on 11 October in a radio interview whether he was planning to visit his farm, Hockey replied: "You've got to have a few days off, absolutely, but I made a pledge to Warren Entsch that I'd come up after the election, not just before the election."
Later asked about his family holiday plans, Hockey said: "The family, yeah, they're good. I got in very late last night. They're up here having a holiday and after I finish work I'm going to spend a bit of time with them. Their favourite travel destination is Cairns and it's a good time of the year. It's nice and warm compared to yesterday."
Hockey's office told Guardian Australia he would not name the family member he travelled with, nor whether the person accompanied Hockey on leave, but said categorically he did not visit the farm at all during the trip.
Hockey paid for the return flight privately and did not claim any other travel allowances on the trip.
On 6 July 2012 Hockey also visited Cairns for six days, charging $2,110 for a flight from Melbourne to Cairns. On that occasion he visited the Malanda farm. On 8 July, Hockey took part in a charity milking contest in Malanda (where he claimed the cow kicked his bucket and prevented him from winning). Hockey beat Bob Katter in the competition.
Hockey's office drew Guardian Australia's attention to three media interviews conducted during the stay, as well as two meetings with local business people. The day before his departure Hockey was interviewed for an asylum policy debate on ABC radio from Malanda and was asked to describe the weather in the region. He replied: "Well, as I look out the window it is mist-covered mountains, it's about 20 degrees and it's raining."
A spokesman for the treasurer said: "All expenses claimed on these two trips were completely within guidelines." He added that no private business was undertaken on the farm during the July 2012 trip.
Guardian Australia was given details of Hockey's flight expense claims by the Impute blog.
MPs' expenses: Joe Hockey's trip to Cairns in question | World news | theguardian.com
