An audit of parliamentary travel claims should crack down on flimsy excuses and expose those who repeatedly rort the system to potential criminal charges, independent MP Andrew Wilkie says.
Following the resignation of Bronwyn Bishop as Speaker in the lower house over a string of questionable travel claims, news of further doubtful expenses by Labor's Tony Burke has inspired Mr Wilkie to call for a far-reaching investigation.
"It has become very clear over the last few weeks that there is indeed widespread misuse of parliamentary travel entitlements," he told reporters in Hobart on Tuesday.
Mr Wilkie has written to the Department of Finance secretary asking for an audit of all travel expenses claimed by MPs and senators over the current and previous parliaments, covering some five years.
"Regrettably it seems to be a widespread practice where (MPs) and senators will trip around and use pretty flimsy excuses as official cover," he said.
"They might meet with a parliamentary colleague, they might meet with a journalist and that becomes the reason for their trip."
He said there should be a clear explanation provided for every trip and where that has not been the case politicians should be required to pay back the money to Treasury.
In some cases, the Australian Federal Police might be called in to investigate the matter as a fraud, Mr Wilkie added.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced a review of parliamentary entitlements that he hopes will make the system fairer, accountable and transparent.
But Mr Wilkie said the probe needs to go deeper.
"I don't accept the line from the prime minister that there is simply a gap between the rules and community expectations and thereby all of these episodes of dodgy travel are somehow okay and we just need to improve things in the future."
Mr Wilkie is confident his own travel expenses would stand up to scrutiny under his proposed audit.
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