Oppn seeks explanation for Abbott's wedding cost claim

Interim Labor leader Chris Bowen has demanded an explanation from prime minister Tony Abbott after it was reported he repaid travel expenses after charging taxpayers when he attended the wedding of Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella in Victoria.

"This goes to judgement of senior Liberals claiming travel expenses for what are very clearly, very clearly not legitimate travel expenses", he said.

Mr Abbott's office says he repaid $1094 for a 2006 trip to Wangaratta for the wedding of the recently defeated frontbencher, News Corp Australia reported on Sunday.

Mr Bowen says the series of revelations about Mr Abbott, three of his ministers and a backbencher show a pattern of poor judgement. He says they all accept that mistakes can happen but this goes to a pattern of poor judgement and a pattern of a lack of transparency and disclosure.

A spokesman for Mr Abbott said he had repaid the money after the Department of Finance told him it could not guarantee he was entitled to it.

At the time of the June 2006 wedding, Mr Abbott was health minister in the Howard government.

A week ago Attorney-General George Brandis and Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce agreed to repay money they had charged taxpayers to attend the 2011 wedding of Sydney radio broadcaster Michael Smith.

News Corp said Mr Abbott's spokesman James Boyce confirmed on Saturday the prime minister had "utilised entitlements".

"When the matter was brought to his attention, he immediately sought advice from the Department of Finance," Mr Boyce said.

"The advice received said it was not possible to determine if the travel was within entitlement.

"For the avoidance of any doubt, Mr Abbott has repaid all costs associated with this travel totalling $1,094.64 and the matter is resolved."

It is the second time Mr Abbott has repaid travel entitlements he had claimed from taxpayers.

In 2010 he repaid $9400 he had claimed for a 2009 book-tour to promote his book Battlelines.