NT minister claiming travel allowance when staying at property she owns

Northern Territory education minister and Member for Katherine Jo Hersey has been claiming a $450 nightly travel allowance when staying at an apartment she owns in Darwin City.

It comes after Mrs Hersey's CLP colleague Robyn Cahill yesterday criticised Labor politician Manuel Brown for claiming the same allowance at times when staying at his Palmerston home.

Mrs Hersey's and Mr Brown's claims while on official business are within the parliamentary rules, with the tax-free allowance available for NT politicians who live outside the Greater Darwin region when they stay in Darwin, no matter where they stay.

But Ms Cahill said it was not appropriate for Mr Brown to claim the allowance in his circumstances.

Mrs Hersey's office confirmed her travel allowance claims following questions from the ABC on Tuesday night.

As the NT education minister, Mrs Hersey receives a salary of $297,000.

At a press conference on Monday, Mr Brown said he spends about half his time at the Palmerston home, with his main residence in Jabiru.

"No it's not [appropriate]," Ms Cahill told radio station Mix 104.9 on Tuesday morning when asked about Mr Brown's claims.

"You're not allowed to claim money when you're actually not spending it for the purpose of what the money is there for.

"That allowance is to cover accommodation costs, it's to cover vehicle costs and transport costs and so on.

"If you own a property and you're living in your property … that is not OK."

The travel allowance is set by the independent Remuneration Tribunal, which is made up of three former NT politicians.

A history of travel allowance scandals

Controversy over travel allowance claims is not new in NT politics.

Former NT chief minister Ian Tuxworth resigned in 1986 after it was revealed he had improperly claimed travel allowances intended for members residing outside of Darwin.

The Member for Barkly at the time, Mr Tuxworth's family had relocated to Darwin during his term, but he continued to receive travel allowance payments.

ABC Radio Darwin's text line lit up on Wednesday morning after it was revealed Mrs Hersey had been claiming the travel allowance when staying in her Darwin City apartment.

"Doesn't pass the test. In most companies if you stayed in your own property and claimed travel allowance — fired," one text said.

Another person texted in to say it was "definitely not ok for pollies to claim allowance when staying at their own places".

"How dare they claim this money. They're looking like pigs eating from the public trough. Disgusted," another text read.

Another text read "of course it doesn't pass the pub test for politicians to be using $450 per day of public monies to pay off their mortgages".

"Why aren't pollies subject to the same rules as the public service which has a reduced rate if you are staying with family?," the text read.