«Breaking News» Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy given international travel entitlement which no former PM gets

Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy have been given an international travel perk which no other living former prime ministers receive.

His Liberal successor Scott Morrison granted the entitlement in September as the former PM holidayed in New York.

Under the deal, Mr Turnbull  would be given the 'provision of resources' when he is 'undertaking international travel as approved by the prime minister in writing from time to time', Fairfax Media has revealed.

Malcolm Turnbull (left) and his wife Lucy (right) have been given an international travel perk which no other living former prime ministers receive

His Liberal successor Scott Morrison (right) granted the entitlement in September as the former PM holidayed in New York

PERKS OF FORMER PRIME MINISTERS

Australia's five living former prime ministers, who are no longer in parliament, are entitled to claim domestic airfares, a chauffeur driver, private car expenses, office administration costs and telephone bills.

Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard cost Australian taxpayers $225,000 from April to June 2018.

Mr Howard was the biggest spender, claiming $64,600 for office facilities, which was double the amount claimed by every other ex-PM. 

Even surviving former first ladies cost the public purse, with Tamie Fraser and Nancy Gorton costing $369 during that time. 

Source: Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority 

Even the former prime minister, who has an estimated net worth of $200million, seemed baffled by the arrangement telling The Sydney Morning Herald he hadn't requested the perk.

Mr Turnbull is the wealthiest Australian ever to have become prime minister and lives at a harbour-side Point Piper mansion, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, when he isn't staying in his New York apartment overlooking Central Park.

His living predecessors who are no longer in parliament - Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard - are entitled to domestic airfares and office expenses but none of them claim international travel, Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority records showed.

Mr Morrison's office said he had 'simply formalised what has been an informal arrangement', with his spokesman adding it was 'standard practice for the international travel work expense to be extended to the spouse'.  

Mr Turnbull (right in New York with wife Lucy) would be given the 'provision of resources' when he is 'undertaking international travel as approved by the prime minister in writing' 

'It is not uncommon for former prime ministers to travel overseas on government business,' he said.

In February last year, Mr Turnbull axed the gold pass entitlement for former PMs, which provided free travel to retired members of parliament.

A by-election is being held on October 20 in Mr Turnbull's old seat of Wentworth, which takes some of Australia's wealthiest suburbs including Vaucluse and the world-famous Bondi Beach. 

MALCOLM TURNBULL'S WEALTH

Malcolm Turnbull made his fortune after inheriting $2million in 1982 after his publican father Bruce died in a plane crash, back when a house even in expensive parts of Sydney could be bought for less than $100,000.

He invested wisely and in 1994 put $450,000 into an internet start-up OzEmail with his former colleague at The Bulletin magazine, Trevor Kennedy.

That same year, Mr Turnbull and his wife Lucy paid more than $5.4 million for their Point Piper mansion in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which they bought from socialite Klara Saunders.

Mr Turnbull, who was chairman of OzEmail, and his two business partners sold the start-up to American giant WorldCom in 1998 for $120million, in a deal which netted the future PM $40million. 

A year later, the millionaire businessman and his wife Lucy in snapped up a neighbouring Point Piper property for $7.1 million. 

In May 2009, the Business Review Weekly magazine estimated he was worth $178 million making him Australia’s 182nd richest individual.

Mr Turnbull made the BRW Rich List again with his net worth estimated at $186million, putting him at No. 197 among Australia's wealthy elite.

While he hasn't featured in the top 200 list since, he is estimated to be conservatively worth $200million, following returns from his existing investments. 

hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/10/04/malcolm-turnbull-and-wife-lucy-given-international-travel-entitlement-which-no-former-pm-gets/
Main photo article Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy have been given an international travel perk which no other living former prime ministers receive.
His Liberal successor Scott Morrison granted the entitlement in September as the former PM holidayed in New York.
Under the deal, Mr Turnbull  would be given the ...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

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