Scott Morrison and Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert have each repaid $354 claimed as travel allowance. It is believed they were at the wedding of WA Liberal MP Steve Irons.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Morrison was reluctant to give details about the claim but said it was for travel in 2011 and the funds had been repaid.
“I can tell you there was an inadvertent claim that was made and it’s been rectified,” he said. “It was a pay back of $354.”
When Mr Morrison was first asked about the expenses issue on Monday, he told Macquarie Radio host Ray Hadley he had not incorrectly claimed any entitlements.
Hadley asked: “Would you ever under any circumstance, if invited to a wedding, try and get some travel via the public purse?”
Mr Morrison responded: “Well I haven’t, Ray.”
On Friday morning, Mr Morrison sent a letter to the radio station saying that contrary to what he told the interviewer, he had in fact incorrectly claimed one night’s travel allowance in October 2011, on the date of a colleague’s wedding in Melbourne.
“At the time of responding to the question, I was not aware of this claim, and answered truthfully to the best of my recollection,” the letter said.
Mr Morrison said he had been in Melbourne for the week and stayed an extra night to attend the wedding.
He said when his staff received the invoice for the accommodation, they completed a travel allowance claim for the entire week and he failed to pick up that the additional night should not have been claimed.
“I thought it was important to let you know about these matters as I have always had a very candid and upfront relationship [with] you and your listeners and when I get something wrong, I will always seek to be up front about it.”
Mr Robert says he went to a meeting on the day of the wedding but has repaid the money to avoid any ambiguity.
