Anthony Albanese has brushed aside calls to review the rules about family reunion allowances for politicians. (AAP: Lukas Koch)
In short:
Anthony Albanese has brushed aside calls to review the rules about the taxpayer-funded entitlements of politicians amid heightened scrutiny.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says minister Anika Wells should stand aside while a review is conducted of whether she has breached the ministerial code of conduct.
Ms Wells has referred her expenses for an audit by the independent parliamentary expenses authority.
Anthony Albanese has brushed aside calls to review the rules about the taxpayer-funded entitlements of politicians amid heightened scrutiny.
Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells has faced a string of questions this fortnight about whether several of her expense claims were appropriate, including flights for family members to attend sporting events and visit a ski resort in Thredbo.
Ms Wells has referred herself to the expenses watchdog for an audit but maintains her spending is within the rules. The same defence was offered by minister Don Farrell and Nationals MP Andrew Willcox, both of whom make prolific use of family entitlements.
Speaking to 2GB on Thursday, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who resigned from cabinet during the Turnbull government after questions over her own expenses, said she was "always open to looking at the rules".
But standing alongside Ms Wells in a high school library on Thursday, Mr Albanese dismissed calls to revisit the rules, saying he was focused on the rollout of the social media ban.
"These are rules that have been set for some period of time. They're rules that are in place," he said.
"We haven't added to any entitlements. The rules have been there since they were put in place by the former government."
Asked whether expectations should be tightened, Mr Albanese said he did not want to "influence that from the top" and would defer to the independent parliamentary expenses authority.
While that watchdog is responsible for monitoring compliance with the rules and can make recommendations on them when it audits politicians, the rules themselves are set by regulation, administered by the finance minister and special minister of state.
Asked whether he favoured changing the rules, Mr Albanese said he was "not the finance minister" and said his government "haven't changed the rules".
The Albanese government has not increased entitlements but has made changes to the rules, with Special Minister of State Don Farrell amending the definitions of parliamentary and official business, among other things.
Pressed on whether the rules met community expectations, Mr Albanese said those expectations were "important".
"Every now and again what we see is issues arise … I'm aware that this is an issue," he said.
Coalition wants Wells to stand aside for inquiry
The Coalition has also focused its criticism of Ms Wells on whether her actions breach the ministerial code of conduct. Ms Ley said the minister should "step aside" while the prime minister's department reviews that question.
Those guidelines require ministers to avoid "wasteful or extravagant use" of public resources and ensure "due economy".
Liberal finance spokesperson James Paterson said on Thursday Ms Wells had breached those requirements and accused the PM of "failing to take responsibility for the conduct of his ministers".
"[This has] rapidly become a scandal about the prime minister and his judgement and the standards that he's willing to enforce on his ministers," Senator Paterson said.
While repeating his leader's comment that the Coalition was "happy to look at the rules again and make sure they're in line with community expectations", he said the focus on rules was "a diversion" and that Ms Wells' judgement was the key issue.