AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2006
Fed: Treasurer defends 20 per cent allowance increase
MELBOURNE, Aug 18 AAP - Treasurer Peter Costello has defended a $20 million taxpayer-funded
splurge on printing and postage allowances for serving MPs.
Printing entitlements for incumbent federal MPs will rise by 20 per cent from $125,000
a year to $150,000, it was revealed this week.
MPs will also be able to carry over 45 per cent of unused entitlements into the next year.
The move is set to cost taxpayers an extra $3.75 million, taking the total bill to
more than $20 million.
Mr Costello said the rise applied to MPs across party lines and the allowance was for
communicating to the electorate.
"All of these allowances have been in place for a very long period of time and what's
happened is that they've been increased in accordance with the increases in printing and
postage costs," he told ABC Radio today.
"It's got to be used for communications in relation to the electorate, it cannot be
used for any personal use.
"Don't think this is an entitlement for only one side of politics. It's for every political
party and independents to enable them to communicate with their electorate."
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KEYWORD: PAPER COSTELLO
) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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