Scott says his travel expenses are above board

At 731,297 square kilometres, Maranoa is larger than some European countries and Federal Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott will continue to travel the electorate to meet with constituents and be their voice in Federal Parliament.
“I give a voice to constituents whose concerns, ideas or successes might not have otherwise been heard and I take this responsibility very seriously,” Mr Scott said.
“Maranoa is home to almost 100,000 constituents and I travel to meet with families, farmers, stakeholders and businesses and take their voice to Canberra,” he said.
Mr Scott said driving from Warwick to west of Winton in the electorate was like driving from Warwick to Melbourne.
“Maranoa is 10 times larger than Tasmania, three-times the size of Victoria and is 42 per cent of Queensland’s land mass.
“There are limited flights from Brisbane travelling west into the electorate, so driving or taking a chartered flight is often the most efficient way of travelling.
“I care about each constituent and I will visit their region to meet and talk with them and I action their concerns in Parliament,” he said.
Mr Scott gave a sobering insight into his professional life and condemned the article about travel entitlements published in Thursday’s Warwick Daily News.
“Travel allowances are set and scrutinised by an independent body, away from the political process,” Mr Scott said.
“I resent the inference made in the article about my wife. She is a private person,” he said.
“While I have the support of my family, there is very limited family life in this job. This is the same for all politicians. Members of parliament were elected, their families were not.
“Any entitlement that enables family members to travel is set by an independent body under strict guidelines.
“My travel expenses are above board and there has never been an allegation of misconduct,” Mr Scott said.