Turnbull abandoned his electorate and th country.
Malcolm Turnbull given a formal overseas travel entitlement not granted to other ex-PMs
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has formally granted Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy a taxpayer-funded overseas travel entitlement - something no other former prime minister has listed in their allowances.
The arrangement was quietly issued last month and allows for the "provision of resources" when the former Liberal leader is "undertaking international travel as approved by the prime minister in writing from time to time".
But Mr Turnbull has distanced himself from the entitlement, telling Fairfax Media he didn't ask for it.
Mr Turnbull, who is in New York on a privately funded trip after the Liberal Party removed him as leader in August, has already twice formally represented the government at the United Nations headquarters. The first time was for a high-level panel on building a sustainable ocean economy, the second the launch of an initiative to advance non-tobacco investments.
Mr Morrison asked him to appear at both events but a spokesperson for Mr Turnbull said the former prime minister would not claim any taxpayer expenses for his New York trip.
Mr Turnbull resigned from Parliament on August 31, sparking a byelection in his Sydney electorate of Wentworth.
He and wife Lucy have spent the past month in the United States and own an apartment near Central Park.
Asked if he saw a role for himself as an international representative of the government, Mr Turnbull said "No".
Mr Turnbull's international travel entitlement is unusual because no other former prime ministers have it listed in their schedule of allowances.
RELATED ARTICLE
LIBERAL PARTY
Malcolm Turnbull blasts Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd as 'miserable ghosts'
Add to shortlist
However, some have been invited by the government of the day to take taxpayer-funded overseas trips for important events relating to their time as leader.
Mr Turnbull's overseas allowance was detailed in an amendment to the legislation that governs political entitlements.
"This amendment ... results from consultations between the Prime Minister and Mr Turnbull about Mr Turnbull’s capacity to travel overseas on government business," the explanatory document says.
