Fed: Liberal MP uses Comcar for personal errand

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2007
Fed: Liberal MP uses Comcar for personal errand

By Peter Veness

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - A Liberal politician has admitted using a taxpayer-funded car
to run a personal errand.

"I went out to do a quick personal errand," West Australian backbencher Michael Keenan
said when asked about a morning trip in Canberra in a government-provided Comcar.

Mr Keenan earlier refused to answer questions from journalists who saw him get out
of the car with a takeaway coffee cup in his hand.

Section 4.3 of the Members and Senators Entitlements Handbook declares "car-with-driver
transport may be used when travelling on parliamentary business ... in Canberra and surrounding
districts within a radius of 30 kilometres of parliament house".

Mr Keenan defended his use of the car despite the apparent breach of rules.

"We don't have a car here in Canberra, I'm from Western Australia.

"I could stay in parliament for 14 hours a day if I had to I suppose."

The incident follows concerns about whether MPs' use of Comcars is environmentally responsible.

While a majority of the fleet is powered by E10 - petrol which includes 10 per cent
ethanol - many of the vehicles sit with engines idling throughout the day to keep conditions
inside the car temperate.

Many politicians live within five kilometres of parliament but still use Comcars to
travel to work when in Canberra.

Prime Minister John Howard uses the biggest petrol-guzzling vehicle in the fleet, but
he has the V8 for security purposes.

AAP pv/sb/sp/jnb/de

KEYWORD: COMCAR KEENAN

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