Labor has written to Speaker Bronwyn Bishop seeking clarification over her use of taxpayers' money to charter a flight from Melbourne to Geelong during the Victorian state election.
Mrs Bishop's parliamentary entitlements register shows she chartered an aircraft at a cost of $5,227.27 for the 80km trip between the two cities on November 5, 2014.
The return trip came a day after the writ was issued for the Victorian state election, when many state Liberal candidates were actively fundraising and campaigning.
"This seems a curious decision which is not only prohibitively expensive, but also inefficient," Labor's waste watch spokesman Pat Conroy said on Wednesday.
"The Speaker likely clocked up more travel time by combining the 45 minute flight with road transfers to and from airports, than she would have driving for around an hour from Melbourne to the event in Geelong instead."
The Speaker's office said in a statement that all charter transport used by Mrs Bishop was done "in accordance with the guidelines and within entitlement".
The Department of Finance guidelines say charter transport can be approved by the Special Minister of State "where no scheduled commercial services exist or a senator or member would be unduly delayed by the use of scheduled services".
Mrs Bishop's entitlements report also showed she claimed $357 in travel allowance on August 1, 2014.
This was the same day she was guest speaker at a $65-a-head Port Stephens Liberal Party dinner, held at the Nelson Bay Bowling Club.
The local party president Geoff Cavanagh at the time described securing Mrs Bishop as guest speaker as "a bit of a coup".
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