West Australian Liberal MP Luke Simpkins has defended visiting a Polish mining project, run by a company he has invested in, while on a taxpayer-funded trip to Europe.
The federal MP for Cowan said the main purpose of his trip to the Lublin region was to discuss national security with the Polish Border Patrol, and no additional accommodation or travel costs were billed to the Australian public for his visit to the Prairie Mining project.
Mr Simpkins, who claimed almost $5000 for the European 2015 study tour according to a government expenditure report, said his visit to the mine site was no longer than 30 minutes.
Related reading
Shorten trusts MPs on Israel trips
His office confirmed he still owned 2000 shares in the company, worth $320, and Prairie Mining had footed the bill for one night's accommodation.
Mr Simpkins visited Poland and the Netherlands during the seven-day trip in late April and early May last year as the chairman of the respective countries' Parliamentary Friendship Groups.
He said he visited Poland to "examine the bilateral relationship, economic opportunities for Australian businesses and to examine matters to do with the political stability of Eastern Europe".
"The purpose of my visit to Holland was to look at and compare the efforts and successes of integration of ethnic communities and religions," Mr Simpkins said in his overseas study travel report.
Regarding his trip to the Prairie Mining project, Mr Simpkins said he met with the Poland managing director of the company as well as local dignitaries.
"The consistent message was that Prairie Mining as a Western Australian coal mining company was being very well received," he said in the travel report.
Mr Simpkins, along with the late Don Randall - who held the federal seat of Canning - initiated an unsuccessful leadership spill against former prime minister Tony Abbott in February last year.
Related reading
Hockey defends $14000 taxpayer-funded Perth trip with family
Share
