Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley said the purchase of a $795,000 Gold Coast apartment on a taxpayer-funded was “not planned or anticipated”.
The Herald Sun has obtained government documents which reveal Ms Lay went to the Gold Coast suburb of Main Beach in May 2015 following an funding announcement for Brisbane’s Wesley Hospital.
It’s understood that during the trip, Ms Ley’s husband negotiated the sale of the property, which is intended for investment purposes, and she billed taxpayers $370 on her travel allowance to stay the night.
Ms Ley confirmed to newspaper she bought the apartment during the trip but said it was for “official business”, adding it “was not planned or anticipated”.
“All travel undertaken was in accordance with the rules,” a spokeswoman for Ms Ley said.
It’s not yet clear if the investment property had been negatively geared.
The couple is understood to have claimed $3940 in flights for the trip, which was during at 48-hour period.
Ms Ley’s spokeswoman said her husband “travelled with the minister to Queensland under family travel arrangements.
“The EMB (Entitlements Management Branch) was consulted at the time to confirm Ms Ley’s partner’s travel was within the rules.”
Ministers are not allowed to use their office for private purposes, according to a code of conduct.
