Bronwyn Bishop treated to lavish trip to Casablanca by Moroccan Government

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2 Bronwyn Bishop treated to lavish trip to Casablanca by Moroccan Government ROB HARRIS, ANNIKA SMETHURST HERALD SUN JULY 22, :08AM The Moroccan Government funded Bronwyn Bishop s trip to Casablanca. Picture digitally altered SOCIALITE Speaker Bronwyn Bishop took a first-class, allexpenses-paid trip to Casablanca and was showered with

3 free theatre tickets and bottles of fine wine after taking up the role. The revelations come as two independent senators vowed to overhaul the parliamentary travel expenses system in response to the entitlements scandal engulfing Ms Bishop. One day after the embattled federal parliamentary Speaker was placed on final notice by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Herald Sun can reveal Ms Bishop has lived the high life during the past 20 months despite her Government s calls for austerity. Ms Bishop accepted free first-class tickets flying on Emirates to the Moroccan capital of Casablanca in her role as presiding officer. The Moroccan Government picked up the tab for the tickets valued at a minimum of $14,000 each and for accommodation and hospitality. The register of members interests reveals she made the trip with a staff member, at the invitation of the Moroccan parliament s speaker. Ms Bishop s spokesman said the trip to the international think-tank Crans Montana Forum in March was within her role as Speaker and was not at the cost of the Commonwealth.

4 Bronwyn Bishop s lifestyle as Speaker clashes with the Government line. Picture: AAP The scrutiny of Ms Bishop s expenses and lavish lifestyle comes after the Herald Sun revealed she billed taxpayers $5227 for a return helicopter trip from Melbourne to Geelong in November to attend a Liberal Party fundraiser. PURSUED BISHOP PUT ON PROBATION The revelations sparked an investigation from the Department of Finance and led to calls for her to resign. Ms Bishop has admitted an error of judgment and obeyed an instruction from Mr Abbott to repay the money, along with a $1307 fine. It can now be revealed Ms Bishop, a long-time supporter of the arts community, accepted tickets to the opening night of hit musical Wicked as well as performances of TheKing & I, Les Miserables, An Australian Requiem, and Giuseppe Verdi s famed opera Aida. Ms Bishop snapped up the free tickets on offer to attend the 2014 Melbourne Cup in the Chairman s Suite at Flemington, racing events at Royal Randwick and various NRL games where Manly was playing. The Speaker has also received boozy gifts of 48 bottles of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, Shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from Bowers Hotel in suburban Sydney. Ms Bishop s spokesman said the Speaker was invited to many events and it was not out of the ordinary to accept the invites. He said most MPs were often given gifts of booze and very little of it had been drunk. The Speaker, on an annual salary of $341,000, has also attracted criticism for racking up a travel bill of more than $300,000 in overseas trips, $47,000 in domestic trips, $32,400 in limousine travel and $350,000 in office costs. Victorian senator John Madigan and South Australian counterpart Nick Xenophon will move to amend the Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation when federal Parliament returns next month. Mr Abbott on Tuesday hardened his stance on Ms Bishop s decision and warned no more slip-ups would be tolerated.

5 Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke said Mr Abbott had made clear that Ms Bishop had broken the rules. Never before has the Speaker of the House of Representatives been put on probation, Mr Burke said. We need to know what on Earth it means and only Tony Abbott can tell the Australian people. ELECTION IS WHERE MANGLING WILL HURT COMMENT: ELLEN WHINNETT THERE s no law stopping Speaker Bronwyn Bishop from accepting lavish gifts such as a return first-class trip to exotic Morocco. Unlike her poor decision to charter a helicopter at a cost of more than $5000 to attend a party fundraiser, it didn t cost the Australian taxpayer anything. And she declared it in her pecuniary interest register, as she is required to. All senior politicians are inundated with invitations to A-list events, free flights or upgrades, and bottles of fine wine. But the extent of the generosity offered to Ms Bishop feeds into an unfortunate public perception that she has become a Champagne Speaker, living the high life at other people s expense, and out of touch with ordinary Australians. This can be fatal in Australian politics. Her Liberal colleagues are not interested in defending her actions, and are tired of being criticised for it by voters. The saga is damaging the Abbott Government. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has just undergone a horror month he confessed to lying in a radio interview, the Killing Seasondocumentary reminded everyone of his role in knifing two prime ministers, he appeared before a royal commission into trade union corruption, and documents were leaked showing Labor plans to put a price on carbon.

6 Despite all this, Newspoll has indicated Labor had extended its lead over the Coalition. Ms Bishop channelling her inner Marie Antoinette likely contributed to the softening in support for the Government. Tony Abbott s Government has not won an opinion poll for over a year. Own goals like those kicked by Ms Bishop will need to be eliminated if the Government has any chance in the only poll that matters, the election, due in about 14 months. ellen.whinnett@news.com.au