Mr Abbott’s official expenses claim to the Department of Finance states he charged the taxpayer $941.10 in flights from Brisbane to Port Macquarie on November 5 and then on to Sydney the following day.

A total of $349 in travelling allowance to cover accommodation was also claimed.

“I believe all of my claims have been within the entitlements,” the PM said.

“Let’s not forget Port Macquarie was a marginal seat, effectively.

“I don’t go to marginal seats simply for sporting events. I think you’ll find I attended a few other community events in that visit.”

The Attorney-General has paid back almost $1700 he claimed in parliamentary expenses to go to a wedding.

On the official Department of Finance report it lists Mr Abbott’s reason for the claim for the Port Macquarie trip as “Office Holder – Official Business”.

Mr Abbott was Leader of the Opposition at the time of competing in the event.

It was the third time he had travelled to Port Macquarie to compete in the ironman event.

The event was listed as the “70.3 Ironman Age Group Championships”

Mr Abbott was heavily promoted as attending the race.

New Attorney General George Brandis and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce repaid $3000 for attending the wedding of former radio personality Michael Smith.

Tony Abbott is facing questions over an expense claim for a triathlon event in 2011.
Source: News Limited

Meanwhile, Labor leadership contender Anthony Albanese said the incidents showed Mr Slipper, who is facing court over claims he misused Cabcharge dockets, was unfairly and relentlessly pursued by the Coalition in the last term of parliament.

“During the last term of parliament people must have noticed the way in which the Coalition really went after Peter Slipper who is now facing the courts over a claim that is much less than the money that has had to be paid back on numerous occasions it would appear,” Mr Albanese told ABC radio.

“I think that anyone who looks at the circumstances of one person being allowed to pay back and one person being before the courts for a very similar type of incident would draw the conclusion that Peter Slipper feels as though there has been unequal treatment.

“I don’t quite understand why the department of finance treated him differently to the way others have been treated,” Mr Albanese said of Mr Slipper not being permitted to pay his expenses back.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott is put under pressure when asked questions about his travel expense claims during his 2009 book tour.

Mr Slipper yesterday hit out at the Prime Minister saying it was the upmost “hypocrisy” that Mr Abbott simply paid back his error in expenses but in his own claim of misuse he was taken to court.

Mr Slipper is facing a full court hearing later this year after he was charged with claims he misused Cabcharge dockets to tour Canberra wineries in 2010 at a cost to the taxpayer of almost $1200.

The former parliamentary speaker, who was also embroiled in a sexual harassment claim, plead not guilty to the charges and a full hearing is set down for early December.

Labor has called for a full inquiry into the expenses of Coalition MPs and say the current rules surrounding entitlements are not ambiguous as the government claims.

But Bill Shorten, who is also contesting the Labor leadership, said this morning he did agree the rules were not black and white and needed to be looked at.

“Clearly there does appear to be confusion over the rules,” Mr Shorten told ABC radio.

“This recent controversy shows the guidelines need to be as black and white as possible and I am open to working with all sides to look at the guidelines to make sure they can be as clear as possible.

“This needs to be cleaned up so there is public confidence in the system.”

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