Courier Mail not impressed by Abbott doing 'charity' work and the taxpayer picking up his tab

This was Brisbane’s The Courier Mail  9 July 2013:

Anyway, Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, agreed to repay more than $6200 for flights "inadvertently booked for official travel rather than private''. Then the following year, Special Minister of State Gary Gray wrote to Abbott in relation to a further $3100 in travel expenses related to his book tour, which had also been incorrectly claimed. This too was repaid.

Clearly an honest mistake and very easy to confuse more than $9000 worth of private travel with official business. It happens to me all the time.

Abbott does have form with expenses though, especially when it comes to claiming every penny of what he believes he is entitled to.

Even when Abbott is out raising money for charity (and promoting brand Tony in the process), he is doing it on the public purse. For three years of his annual Pollie Pedal ride for example (2010-2012), he claimed more than $8000 in expenses for official business.

Likewise, according to registers published by the Department of Finance, we get hit up for travel allowances for Surf Lifesaving swims, Wagga fun runs and even $1100 for his Tony the Trucker stunt driving a rig down the Pacific Highway late last year.

Keep this in mind for the next time you hear a Liberal politician carrying on about greedy unions and unrealistic pay claims.