Albanese continues to shirk responsibility for parliamentary expenses saga; Illicit tobacco market costing taxpayers $11.8 billion, government report finds

Federal parliamentarians have demanded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese take accountability for the widening saga over MPs’ use of parliamentary entitlements.

Independent MP Allegra Spender told Nine’s Today show this morning that the government should accelerate a review into the parliamentary entitlements system.

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“I think that community expectations are basically saying, hey, this isn’t quite in line with what we think… You guys need to rein this in.

“And I think that the prime minister should bring forward one of the reviews that they’ve pushed back. I think it’s reasonable look at these rules again,” she said.

Appearing alongside Spender was Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, who criticised Albanese for dodging responsibility on the issue.

“I think Australians are starting to see this guy for who he is. He’s a dodger, and he’s covering up all this stuff. So, I mean, he could fix this if he wanted to, and it’s now becoming a massive integrity issue… He’s trying to evade it, but he could actually fix it if he wanted.”

Bragg also said he would welcome a review into the expense system.

Asked at a press conference in Canberra yesterday about a finance minister’s regulation allowing unlimited spousal travel perks for senior MPs, Albanese said: “I’m not the finance minister. I haven’t changed the rule.”