Politics Now Are politician perks a 'pisstake'?
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Dec 11, 2025 Phil Coorey, the Australian Financial Review's Political Editor, dives into the controversy surrounding political entitlements, particularly focusing on Communications Minister Anika Wells. He discusses the public outrage from her expensive New York trip and how such scandals often play out in politics. Coorey highlights the generational divide in entitlement use among MPs and proposes a 'chat group' test to evaluate public perception of perks. The conversation also touches on the Coalition's immigration strategy and Barnaby Joyce's defection to One Nation, raising questions about the party's legitimacy.
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Entitlements Scandals Repeat And Spread
- Parliamentary entitlements blow-ups recur every few years and spread like a contagion across media and politics.
- Phil Coorey says scandals usually end with repayments or mutual attacks, but this one is still running.
Reporter Recounts Wells' Costly UN Trip
- Phil Coorey describes Annika Wells' New York trip as ludicrously expensive and unnecessary for her role at the event.
- He recalls being at the UN event and noting she delayed travel because of the Optus crisis at home.
Use Entitlements Judiciously
- Politicians should be judicious using family reunion entitlements and avoid claiming clearly personal perks.
- When trips or tickets look like luxury, consider paying personally to pass the chat-group test.