The fallout from parliamentarians referred to the High Court for breaching section 44 — including Scott Ludlam, Larissa Waters, Malcolm Roberts, Barnaby Joyce, Nick Xenophon, Matt Canavan and Fiona Scott — has had far-reaching effects on policy outcomes, party unity and media coverage. But it has also cost Australian tax payers a pretty penny.
Documents released in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) by treasury on Monday exposed just how many taxpayer dollars were expended in this seemingly endless saga: $11.6 million.
Along with the $80.5 million used for the marriage equality postal survey, it would appear we are bleeding millions to help our feeble governance and government bodies do their stated jobs.
Stay tuned for more MYEFO coverage on the Crikey website this afternoon.
It’s not over yet.
The optional, non binding, junkmail survey only cost $80M, barely two thirds the prev guestimates?
On general principles, the Federal government is supposed to be the Ideal Litigant as prosecutor so does that apply when it is also the defendant?
Are the salaries and allowances going to be recovered from the members who were found to be ineligible to sit in parliament under Section 44? Those in receipt of Centrelink benefits would be pursued to the end of the earth if they received a benefit for which they were subsequently found to ineligible.
You know the answer Michael.
It’s only tax money, from those of us who pay tax…