Victorian MPs have charged taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars for overseas travel for "electorate business", with a warning from integrity experts that MPs must "pass the pub test" and not exploit the payment during a cost-of-living crisis.
Voters consistently name cost of living their biggest concern and Treasurer Tim Pallas has already foreshadowed that his 10th budget in May will be "very, very tight".
An ABC analysis of MPs' travel claims lodged with parliament for 2023 shows the majority did not access an annual international travel allowance of $10,765, which is paid to perform public duties overseas.
But dozens did.
In the past financial year, parliament paid out $204,660 in international travel allowances, and a further $287,013 in domestic travel allowances.
Asian countries the top destinations for Victorian politicians
International travel allowance claims lodged with the state parliament show India and China were a popular destination for travel among MPs from both sides of politics, while Thailand was also a destination of choice for several Liberal MPs keen to see the impacts of the country's decriminalisation of cannabis.
Parliamentary allowance records show that Shadow Minister for the Arts David Davis charged taxpayers nearly $10,000 for a European tour that included visits to Thessaloniki, Athens, Crete, Milan, Paris and London where he "met government, regional, municipal and gallery officials".
Mr Davis told the ABC it was a productive trip that was "busy and relentless" and included a discussion with UK MPs about integrity laws and meetings with officials in Lombardy, which has a sister-city relationship with Victoria.
Mr Davis, Liberal leader John Pesutto and frontbenchers Jess Wilson, Ann-Marie Hermans, James Newbury and David Southwick also claimed at least $4,800 each to go on a trip to Israel with the Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council.
Due to the war in Gaza that trip has been postponed.
Some, including Ms Wilson, have repaid the money, while others said the trip would go ahead at a later date at no additional cost.
"All MPs are entitled to travel for matters relating to their electorate, parliamentary and portfolio duties. Any travel should represent value for taxpayers and all expenses are reported and disclosed to parliament as is appropriate,'' a spokesman for Mr Pesutto said.
He said the Israel trip was important, noting that it had been "undertaken by a number of leaders and MPs from both sides of parliament over a number of years to strengthen trade and investment ties between Victoria and Israel".
Labor MPs also made several overseas trips in 2023.
Upper house MP Lee Tarlamis made two trips to India in 2023, one costing $4,689 and another costing $6,971. In his declaration he said the objective was "to strengthen the relationship between Victoria and India. My electorate has the largest population of Indians in Victoria".
In his February trip, he travelled with fellow MPs Matt Fregon, Meng Heang Tak and Dylan Wight. The group met with film and TV producers, visited a waste-to-energy plant and the Taj Mahal.
"I travelled to India to strengthen the relationship between Victoria and India, make contacts with business executives and government officials, and comprehend the shared values and interests of our governments to inform my job as their Legislative Council representative,'' Mr Tarlamis said in his travel report.
Warragul-based Liberal MP Wayne Farnham flew to Phuket in July to see the impact of Thailand's decriminalisation of cannabis. He claimed $3,340 for the trip.
"Given [Phuket's] popularity with tourists, I knew I would get a very good gauge how it has affected the local communities and tourism and tourists' attitude towards the legalisation of cannabis," Mr Farnham's travel report said.
Mr Farnham met with local police, two Australian bar owners in the tourist town, as well as having conversations with locals and tourists.
"Nearly all the locals I had spoken to are against it as they have already seen the negative it has had for their communities and I believe their experiences can be directly related to what could occur here in Victoria if such a change was to be proposed,'' his report said.
Mr Farnham also joined shadow ministers Brad Battin and Richard Riordan on a two-week trip of India and Sri Lanka. The MPs claimed between $5,000 and $10,000 each for the trip.
"As India is one of Victoria's largest trading partners in education it is important to build relationships to enhance future opportunities that will benefit both India and Victoria,'' the trio's travel report said.
Integrity expert says expense claims must pass 'pub test'
Monash University political expert Zareh Ghazarian said travel allowances were a double-edged sword with obvious benefits to improve learning and understanding as long as it was done properly.
"The question is does it pass the pub test? So, it's up to the MP that it does,'' Dr Ghazarian said.
"The trip's value may be questioned by the electorate, in particular the local community they are representing. That's the risk.
"If these trips are seen as tangential or not directly relevant by the MP's community, local area then it can be a potential political problem for the MP."
MPs claiming international travel allowance must produce a written report for the parliament. The ABC does not suggest any MPs have broken parliament's rules.
Catherine Williams, executive director of the Centre for Public Integrity, said the travel allowance afforded MPs a valuable opportunity to enhance the performance of their public duties, but it required politicians to be transparent.
"Members should be judicious about demonstrating a clear connection between the expenditure and one of the permitted purposes: a tenuous connection is likely to result in justified cynicism from Victorians — particularly in the context of a cost-of-living crisis,'' Dr Williams said.
The travel claim disclosures are made every quarter and are published individually on parliament's website in PDF form. There is a push from transparency experts and some in parliament for the system to be digitised so that the public can access information about their MPs more easily.
International travel sends allowance claims soaring
Narre Warren South Labor MP Gary Maas claimed $6,215 from the parliament to attend a progressive political action conference in Chicago. Netroots Nation bills itself as "a non-profit organisation that provides trainings, resources and connection opportunities to help progressive activists create a more progressive and just world".
Mr Maas said his trip was for electorate business and he wanted to research "the latest platforms and techniques from progressive parties and organisations to be able to provide information and receive feedback from constituents via different platforms".
"There are actually good things to learn, and the allowance is there for that purpose,'' Mr Maas told the ABC.
The premier and cabinet are entitled to separate ministerial travel expenses. Former premier Daniel Andrews's controversial trip to China in late March cost $82,000, while Treasurer Tim Pallas went to Asia twice, costing at least $60,000 (final figure still not determined).
Other international travel allowance claimed included former opposition leader Matthew Guy travelling to Argentina, Liberal frontbencher Roma Britnell flying to Singapore and tourist towns along the northern NSW and Queensland coast, dumped Labor MP Will Fowles heading to China and New Zealand, and rookie Labor MPs Belinda Wilson and Emma Vulin both flying to India to undertake research and to represent views of constituents.
Shadow Industry Minister Bridget Vallence went to London and has already booked return flights to Athens and Auckland this year, costing $9,912.36. She said the trips were electorate business to "explore economic issues, and investigate industry and innovation opportunities relevant to the state".
Outspoken Liberal MP Bev McArthur made two trips, one to South Korea where she investigated "issues of significance to business, educational providers and healthcare operators in electorate and discussing planning, energy, infrastructure, high speed rail, tunnels and rail operations, robotics, healthcare, trade and investment".
Ms McArthur was also part of a trio of Liberals to visit Thailand in April 2023. Ms McArthur, Renee Heath and Nick McGowan's tour aimed to find opportunities for trade and partnerships in education and healthcare as well as understand Thailand's cannabis laws. The team met with local politicians, businesses and Australian trade officials.
"Our delegation achieved the outcomes sought, forging links with Thai businesses, officials and government representatives, as well as with Australian individuals, companies and organisations operating in Thailand,'' the report states.
Mr McGowan paid for the trip out of his own pocket.
Speaking engagements, kangaroo advocacy and delegations to Armenia
Exiled Liberal MP Moira Deeming – who is currently suing the opposition leader for defamation – claimed $2,500 to attend a conference in Sydney as a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) alongside Pauline Hanson, Tony Abbott, Warren Mundine and Senator Jacinta Price.
According to her claims declaration, Ms Deeming said she "was invited to attend and speak at CPAC discussing my role as a state MP and women's rights, Victorian laws and other various matters relating to issues impacting the Western Metropolitan Region".
"I also attended other events post conference representing my electorate regarding issues facing everyday families and changes to parental laws," Ms Deeming said.
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell hopped on a plane to Los Angeles and Washington DC in September to meet with kangaroo advocacy groups and other animal welfare organisations as well as members of Congress and their offices, which the upper house MP said was "electorate business".
Ms Purcell said she met with SPCA, the American cousin of the RSPCA and the Stray Cat Alliance – tackling feral cats is a big issues in northern Victoria.
Of particular issue was discussion on proposed US laws banning the import of kangaroo skins as well as bans on greyhound racing in the USA. She claimed $4,030 from parliament.
"I absolutely got something out of this, it was very beneficial, I can say hand on heart that it was very busy,'' Ms Purcell said.
Liberal backbencher Kim Wells flew to Armenia for six days in September with his colleague Ann-Marie Hermans. The objective of their trip was whether to decide if they would support a "Parliamentary Friends of Armenia" and/or be members of the group.
Mr Wells charged parliament $9,456.19 for the tour, but records show Ms Hermans did not make a claim. She has claimed $5,868 for a trip to Israel.
The Armenian travel report said the mission would determine whether to "work with other MPs to bring forward a motion to the parliament to acknowledge the 1915 Armenian Genocide. At this point, we are probably in favour of the friendship group, and need more information regarding the Armenian Genocide motion".
Shadow Special Minister of State David Hodgett spent nearly $9,000 on a trip to Korea as well as $2,701 on trips to Adelaide and Brisbane for electorate business.
There are other allowances MPs can access. MPs who represent regional and rural electorates can claim the Parliamentary Accommodation Sitting allowance if they own or rent a Melbourne property for sitting weeks of parliament. The lucrative allowance starts at $26,609 and increase if the MPs holds higher office.
In 2022-23, parliament paid $327,028 to regional MPs who rent or own a home in Melbourne, including Premier Jacinta Allan.
"Parliamentary travel for members of parliament or committees is not a matter for government. We would expect all parliamentary travel to represent value for Victorians," a government spokesperson said.