Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he has no plans to change politicians' travel entitlements because he doesn't want members of parliament to be stuck at their desks in Canberra.
Speaking on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Brunei, Mr Abbott said whatever the system is, there will also be arguments "at the margins" about what is and what is not appropriate.
"I'm not proposing to change the system," he told reporters on Thursday.
"If people want to make suggestions, they're welcome to make suggestions, but I'm not proposing to change the system."
Politicians need to be able to travel.
"I think it is important that members of parliament, ministers, prime ministers, opposition leaders, be able to travel pretty freely around our country in order to do their job," he said.
"You don't want members of parliament to be prisoners of their offices. You don't want members of parliament to be shut up in Canberra.
"If we are going to do our job of representing the people of Australia, we've got to be able to move freely amongst the people of Australia."
Share
