Report from the Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton's News Paper
Kirsten defends relocation cost
Adrian Taylor | 10th August 2010
Kirsten Livermore sizes up her new office at The Swan.
by Allan Reinikka
KIRSTEN Livermore’s office relocation in Rockhampton cost taxpayers more than $318,000, newly published expenses reveal.
The move from the Capricornia MP’s former constituency headquarters in East Street to the newly refurbished Swan Hotel in Denham Street last September was the major factor in her claim totalling $403,324 for the six-month period to the end of December 2009.
Defending the cost, a spokesman for Ms Livermore said she was normally noted for her frugal approach and determination to give constituents value for money.
He said the bill for relocation, the first for 10 years, had been significantly boosted by factors beyond her control.
“Offices for Federal MPs have, by regulation, to meet communication and security standards,” he said.
It is understood that when the MP took a lease on The Swan, it was an empty shell and had to be decorated and furnished at the taxpayers’ expense. A soundproof room had to be created – in theory so that a visiting prime minister might speak privately on the telephone to another head of state.
At the time of the move Ms Livermore cited problems with parking in East Street as one of the main reasons for relocating to the old pub which was refurbished and converted into offices after lying empty for years.
The MP, who is bidding for a fifth term as Capricornia’s representative in Canberra, also claimed $28,000 for office administration, $13,219 travelling allowance, $18,000 in air fares and almost $10,000 for charter flights within the constituency.
Her office said she had spent less than half of her annual $26,000 allocation for family travel – money that can be used to take her spouse and children between Canberra and Rockhampton during the 21 weeks she spends in parliament during the year.
Ms Livermore claimed $5000 expenses for running her own car on constituency business, but less than $100 in taxi fares.
In the same six-month period when ex-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd racked up $1.8 million in expenses, and Sunshine Coast MP Peter Slipper claimed $640,000, including $16,000 for taxis, Member for Flynn Chris Trevor claimed $520,447.
He also moved to new offices – in Gladstone – and taxpayers were slugged $353,609 for the new office plus $101,000 in office administration.
The Member for Dawson, James Bidgood, claimed $269,225 during the same six-month period.
The total for the three Central Queensland members is $1,192,996.
Plenty of Dirty Washing eh Kirstin? Is that why the Steam Laundry Truck is Parked outside your office?
