All former prime ministers will be eligible for taxpayer-funded international travel under rule changes made by Scott Morrison – a privilege previously only extended to Malcolm Turnbull.
The changes allow Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, John Howard and Paul Keating to apply to the current prime minister for approval for themselves and a spouse or de facto partner to travel internationally.
If approval is given, the former prime minister may also take one staff member.
In September Morrison issued a determination granting the entitlement to Turnbull, but omitting to extend the same condition to other former prime ministers.
Turnbull distanced himself from the move, telling Fairfax Media he didn’t seek the condition and did not see himself as an international representative of the government.
The explanatory statement for the new regime explains that it “formalises the provision of resources for former prime ministers when undertaking international travel as approved by the prime minister in writing from time to time”.
As a former prime minister, Abbott will automatically receive an annual pension of $296,000 – a raise of almost $90,000 on his backbencher’s salary of $207,100.
The new rules also align Abbott’s entitlements with those of the other former prime ministers, reflecting his exit from parliament after he lost his seat of Warringah to the independent Zali Steggall.
Former prime ministers are entitled to a parliamentary retirement travel entitlement – which was previously known as the lifetime gold pass – which grants them up to 30 domestic return trips a year.
Turnbull scrapped the lifetime gold pass for former federal MPs and vowed he would never use it.
As a former prime minister Abbott will also be entitled to office accommodation, unlimited postage for official business and the same publication allowance as MPs.
Former prime ministers can also approve employee travel up to $15,000 per financial year.
On 31 May 2019 this article was amended. Due to a miscalculation, a previous version said Tony Abbott would be $100,000 better off under his pension compared to his backbencher salary.