Australian Conservatives leader senator Cory Bernardi charged taxpayers close to $2,000 for return flights from Adelaide to Sydney coinciding with his key speech at the launch of the Coalition For Marriage's campaign against same-sex marriage in 2017.
Bernardi, a leading figure in the failed campaign to stop marriage equality becoming the law of the land in Australia during last year's postal survey, told the Coalition For Marriage campaign launch in Sydney on September 16 that those opposed to same-sex marriage were under assault because they were "on the right side of legal and moral history".
The Australian Conservatives Facebook page noted Bernardi received a standing ovation for his speech.
The launch was held at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour.
The South Australian senator flew to Sydney on September 16, and returned to Adelaide on September 17, charging taxpayers $1,918.36 for the two flights.
BuzzFeed News asked Bernardi's office if there were any other meetings or parliamentary events held in Sydney around the same time. His office declined to detail any such other meetings or events, telling BuzzFeed News it was "none of your concern", but stated his travel was "always within the guidelines".
When asked directly if his travel claim was solely for the campaign launch, his office did not respond.
His Facebook page for the two days only shows news reports of Bernardi's speech at the launch.
The Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, the new body set up to oversee expenses claimed by politicians, could not say definitively whether travel associated with the postal survey would be within the guidelines. It said a parliamentarian may be able to claim flight costs, if the purpose of the trip is part of their parliamentary duties, electorate duties, or official duties if they're an office holder or a minister.
Parliamentary duties are broadly defined as "activities of the parliamentarian that relate directly to the parliamentarian’s role", while electorate duties are defined as "activities of the parliamentarian that support or serve their constituents".
Last month Bernardi recruited prominent "no" campaigner, Coalition For Marriage spokesperson and long time Australian Christian Lobby managing director Lyle Shelton, to head up communications for Australian Conservatives.
Bernardi is not the only parliamentarian to claim flights coinciding with events for or against same-sex marriage during the postal survey last year.
Assistant to the treasurer Michael Sukkar claimed flights on a Sunday in early October to Sydney from Melbourne and back, coinciding with a speech he gave at an anti-marriage equality event in Western Sydney.
Sukkar's office has said that he met with religious leaders to discuss charities issues within his portfolio before the event, but refused to say if it was the same faith leaders and at the same event.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten also claimed a return trip to Sydney from Melbourne for a "yes" rally under his office holder entitlements as the leader of the opposition.