Australian speaker quits over expenses
Print Edition
Australian parliamentary speaker Bronwyn Bishop announced her resignation yesterday following public anger over her travel expenses, as Prime Minister Tony Abbott said a review would be launched into politicians鈥 entitlements.
Bishop, a member of Abbott鈥檚 Liberal Party, had been under fire for more than three weeks as media reports emerged of her use of taxpayers鈥 money for trips including spending A$5,000 (US$3,600) on a 80-kilometer helicopter ride for a November political fundraiser.
鈥淚 have not taken this decision lightly, however it is because of my love and respect for the institution of parliament and the Australian people that I have resigned as Speaker,鈥 72-year-old Bishop, who has served in the role since 2013, said in a statement.
Abbott said there would be a 鈥渇undamental review鈥 of entitlements for members of parliament as 鈥渢he public deserve to be absolutely confident that taxpayer money is not being abused.
鈥淲hat has become apparent, particularly over the last few days, is that the problem is not any particular individual, the problem is the entitlements system more generally,鈥 the conservative leader said.
鈥楾he right thing鈥
鈥淭here are still too many situations where members of parliament can do things which are inside entitlement but outside public expectations.鈥
Abbott declined to criticize Bishop 鈥 a veteran Liberal who has been described as his political mentor 鈥 but said her resignation tendered to the Governor-General was the 鈥渞ight thing by the parliament, by the government and by the people of Australia.鈥
Bishop had said she would repay the helicopter claim with a 25 percent penalty and later described the expense as 鈥渞idiculous.鈥 She also vowed to refund travel expenses incurred for trips to colleagues鈥 weddings.
Her travel claims are being reviewed by the government鈥檚 finance department.
Calls for Bishop to step down had grown in recent days.
Bishop is the second Speaker to resign in recent years after Peter Slipper quit in 2012 over allegations of sexual harassment, later thrown out by a court.
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