SENATOR THE HON JAMES MCGRATH

SHADOW SPECIAL MINISTER OF STATE

SHADOW MINISTER FOR URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND CITIES

SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE OLYMPICS AND PARALYMPICS

SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND

SENATOR JAMES PATERSON

SHADOW MINISTER FOR FINANCE

SHADOW MINISTER FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES

SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE

SENATOR FOR VICTORIA

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JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT

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THE PRIME MINISTER FOR TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE FINALLY CAVES ON FAMILY TRAVEL ALLOWANCE

23 December 2025

Today’s announcement from the Prime Minister on changes to the family travel allowance is a tacit admission that he, Anika Wells and Michelle Rowland presided over a rotten culture of entitlement and arrogance.

This is a government that has treated taxpayer funds as a personal expense account at every turn.

Let’s not forget that the Prime Minister told us this was not his responsibility. This announcement proves that once again he lied toAustralians.

Tinkering with rules does not remove the need for a full and proper investigation by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet into whether the Ministerial Code of Conduct has been breached.

We will examine the detail when it is actually provided, noting the Prime Minister once again briefed the media before his own parliamentarians, and only after sustained pressure from the Opposition which has been driving reform for weeks.

It has become a clear trend of this government to avoid any blame or wrongdoing until they are forced, kicking and screaming, to make changes following sustained pressure from the Opposition and the Australian public.  

The Prime Minister is always too little and too late.

ENDS

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