$300,000 on offices, $40,000 on chauffeur-driven cars and $4K phone bills: How much YOU are paying for our last six prime ministers and three surviving wives in retirement
- Former leaders can claim various expenses to pay for costs of ongoing work
- Taxpayers shelled out $365,944.5 from January to March 2021 for six leaders
- Surviving spouses can also claim and two wives charged for home phone bills
- Mr Turnbull is the most expensive, claiming $90,711.12 in three month period
Australian taxpayers shelled out almost $400,000 over three months to pay for the expenses of six former prime ministers and three surviving wives.
As a reward for their service and to help pay for ongoing work, former leaders can claim for their office rent and administration, domestic flights, chauffeur-driven cars and even phone bills.
A report recently released by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority shows taxpayers shelled out $365,944.5 from January to March 2021 to Malcolm Turnbull, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, John Howard and Paul Keating.
Malcolm Turnbull (pictured with wife Lucy) is the most expensive former leader, claiming $90,711.12 in the three month period
Tony Abbott (pictured with his family after his 2013 election win) claimed the biggest phone bill at $1,187.49
Under rules which allow surviving spouses of late leaders to claim expenses, Malcolm Fraser’s wife Tamie claimed a $95.32 phone bill, John Gorton’s wife Nancy claimed a $293.65 phone bill – even though her husband left office 50 years ago in 1971 – while Bob Hawke’s wife Blanche d’Alpulget didn’t claim anything.
Mr Turnbull is the most expensive former leader, claiming $90,711.12 in the three month period.
Mr Howard’s total bill was the second highest at $77,063.09 and Mr Abbott’s was third at $66,051.25.
Over the year to April 2021, Mr Turnbull claimed $394,703, followed by Mr Howard at $337,234, then Tony Abbott at $199,650.
Julia Gillard claimed the least, charging taxpayers $113,208 over the year.
The biggest expense is the leaders’ current offices, with taxpayers forking out a total of $310,656.26 for the six former prime ministers from January to March.
Mr Turnbull’s Sydney office bill was the most expensive, costing $85,830.82 to rent.
The 66-year-old, who is said to be worth around $200million, also billed taxpayers $18,000.63 for chauffeured Comcar trips he took in 2018 but didn’t claim at the time, as well as $1,759.27 for leasing a private-plated car.
Julia Gillard claimed the least over the year to April 2021, charging taxpayers $113,208
He also charged taxpayers $2,348 for subscriptions to various news websites including a $174.99 donation to The Guardian, a free left-wing news website.
For trips taken in the three-month period, Mr Howard claimed the highest car bill at $5,622.80, closely followed by Kevin Rudd at $5,410.60 and then Julia Gillard at $3,116.56.
Including Mr Turnbull’s backdated claims, the total bill for car costs for the six former prime ministers came to $39,311.58.
Mr Abbott claimed the biggest phone bill at $1,187.49 while Kevin Rudd declined to claim anything for his calls and texts.