There's a feeding frenzy over Anika Wells' expenses. But if we want women in parliament it needs to be more family-friendly | Sarah Martin

"Political journalists and every opposition staffer are currently scouring the records of the independent parliamentary expenses authority looking for a fresh angle to try to claim the scalp of the communications minister, Anika Wells. Everyone loves a user-friendly scandal a 10-minute chopper ride for Bronwyn Bishop, a bottle of Grange for Barry O'Farrell or a Gold Coast investment property for Sussan Ley are all easily digested by a public already disenchanted with politics. And rightly, they were all closely scrutinised."

"The most egregious example of taxpayer waste unearthed last week is the staggering $100,000 spent on a trip to New York for Wells to spruik the government's social media ban for children under 16. The cost absolutely deserves scrutiny, but this is hardly a question of Wells's judgment. The exorbitant fares came after a last-minute change of flights after Wells had to stay in Australia to manage the Optus triple-zero call failure."

"Most likely these would have been organised at arm's length to allow her to maintain her ministerial commitments, and they were also signed off by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Maybe she should have cancelled the trip entirely. I'm pretty confident she wishes she did not only to avoid the ensuing cost scandal, but also maybe to have spent a bit of couch time with her family after a torrid week of politics."

Canberra political actors and journalists are intensely searching parliamentary expenses records for allegations against communications minister Anika Wells. A $100,000 New York trip to promote a social media ban for under-16s has drawn particular attention. The large cost resulted from last-minute flight changes after Wells remained in Australia to manage the Optus triple-zero call failure, and the travel was likely arranged at arm's length and signed off by the prime minister. Wells has faced scrutiny for using family reunion travel entitlements to bring her husband to sporting events while serving as sports minister. Parliamentary entitlements permit family reunion travel for ministers with young children.

Read at www.theguardian.com