Details about this story

• Source: National Nine News
• Date: June 20, 2008
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: Erin Tennant
• Topics: Federal Government
• Data Types: Federal Data
• Description/Excerpt: Federal senators and MPs spent 400 weeks on such tours between 2005 and 2007 and notched up a taxpayer-funded travel bill of $1.74 million, a ninemsn examination of government records shows. Department of Finance records show that federal parliamentarians were reimbursed for 195 overseas study tours undertaken in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Out of the top eight most visited countries, five also happen to be the most popular holiday destinations for Australian residents. More than half of all study tours - or 105 in total - involved visits to the United States or the United Kingdom.
• Methodology: See explainer