Calls for an independent review of spending by Communications Minister Anika Wells have intensified following revelations of hefty travel expenses. The Coalition has urged the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority to investigate Wells’ expenditures, which include a significant $100,000 trip to New York intended to promote Australia’s teen social media age ban.
Criticism surrounds not only the New York trip but also Wells’ travels to other locations, including Paris, Thredbo, and Adelaide. Senator James Paterson expressed bewilderment over the costs, stating, “That’s an extraordinary expenditure of public money and it has to be publicly justified.” His comments came during a press briefing on Sunday.
Wells planned to travel to the UN General Assembly in September aboard Prime Minister Anthony Albanese‘s jet, but her trip was delayed due to the Optus triple-zero outage crisis. In a recent interview with Sky News, Wells acknowledged that her spending would likely provoke a “gut reaction” from the average Australian but maintained that an independent agency booked her flights in accordance with government guidelines.
“I had to be in two places at once,” Wells explained. “I genuinely chose the option where I thought I could discharge my duties in both areas.” She described the social media policy as “life changing” and defended her decision to travel to New York, while Albanese supported the expenses as compliant with government rules. “One of the comments I heard from various UN officials was… ‘this is the first time I’ve been to a forum that has changed my mind,’” said the Prime Minister on ABC’s Insiders program.
Wells, who also serves as the sports minister, incurred additional costs during three trips to Paris over the past year, totaling approximately $116,000. These visits were for major events such as the Rugby World Cup, Paris Olympics, and Paris Paralympics. The minister had authorization to spend $6,000 on meals over five days, which included a dinner reportedly priced at $600.
In her defense, Wells remarked, “I recall sometimes I was eating a muesli bar in the car. These are big days. I appreciate it looks a certain way because it’s Paris, but that is where the Games were.”
Opposition spokesman Alex Hawke criticized the spending, stating it failed to meet public expectations. “It simply doesn’t stack up and the minister’s defenses don’t seem to stack up either,” he declared on Sky News. Hawke questioned the justification of expenses, highlighting that if Wells was consuming muesli bars, there was little rationale for charging taxpayers for expensive dinners.
Wells also faced scrutiny for using travel entitlements for personal reasons during a $3,600 work trip to Adelaide in June, which coincided with a friend’s birthday celebration. Furthermore, she incurred $3,000 in expenses for her family to join her on a work-related trip to Thredbo in June 2024, during which she met with Paralympics Australia and Adaptive Festival organizers. While acknowledging her family’s skiing activities, Wells insisted she was there for work and claimed the trip adhered to family reunion and travel guidelines.
In a historical context, current Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke faced backlash in 2012 for claiming $12,000 for family travel during a work trip to Uluru. Although he was within the rules, Burke later repaid $8,656 after the details became public, admitting it exceeded community expectations.
Despite the mounting criticism, Wells did not indicate any intention to repay her travel expenses, asserting, “I work really hard,” and emphasized her commitment to following the rules in every instance.
