Senator David Van billed taxpayers for accommodation in the Whitsundays region while he was onboard an all-expenses-paid voyage on a defence
Accommodation was provided by the ADF but Van claimed $2208 in travel allowance – an expenditure that is considered within the guidelines of parliamentary travel entitlements. In a statement Van said: “While there were several reasons for the senator’s travel to Queensland – which included attending committee hearings, a site briefing with the Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as well as an ADF parliamentary program – it has been conclusively determined that the dominant purpose was parliamentary business.”Comcars are charged at an average of about $2 per minute on a weekday, indicating that the vehicle was hired for more than five hours.
Van claimed travel costs for his partner to travel from Brisbane back to his hometown of Melbourne on July 31. He appeared to travel to Canberra, where he began incurring Comcar expenses on July 31 and attended committee hearings.