The fundraiser Prime Minister Tony Abbott attended that sparked a furore over his use of entitlements was held for cabinet mInister Kevin Andrews, Fairfax Media has learned.
Mr Abbott skipped a traditional dinner with government senators to attend the fundraiser, held in Melbourne on Monday night. His trip became front page news when he admitted to his partyroom that he booked a visit to a cancer centre early the next morning, so the interstate trip could be justified under entitlements.
Mr Abbott stunned his colleagues with the comment because although it is a common for MPs to combine official and party duties on trips, it is rare for a politician to admit to the practice for the purposes of entitlements.
Mr Andrews refused to comment when asked for details about Monday night's fundraiser including how much it raised. One source said it was being noted that the Prime Minister was fundraising for a federal MP two years out from the next federal election and the Victorian state election less than one hundred days away. But Fairfax Media understands Mr Abbott held a similar fundraiser for the state campaign the week prior.
Mr Abbott was quizzed about his priorities when he arrived an hour late to the regular meeting of Coalition MPs. Government senator Ian Macdonald publicly berated the leader saying the joint partyroom was the only time backbenchers had an opportunity to discuss issues with the executive.
Sources said Senator Macdonald was booed for reprimanding the Prime Minister and the Liberal MP Ewen Jones urged him to stop criticising his own side. But one MP said Senator Macdonald had clearly got under the Prime Minister's skin, prompting Tony Abbott's admission about entitlements. Mr Abbott's comment was leaked to Fairfax Media and was followed by a Cabinet leak to the same organisation about the government's School Chaplaincy policy.
Some government senators are privately wondering why the Prime Minister would skip their annual black-tie dinner, which the leader traditionally attends, for a fundraiser at a time when several are threatening to cross the floor on various issues. Mr Abbott's office says the Prime Minister receives a lot of requests to attend events and he cannot accommodate them all.
