Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have been criticised after taxpayers were billed more than $4,200 to fly their family members to Canberra for Budget night, despite their spouses and an adult son all holding well-paid jobs.
As Australians continue to tighten their belts amid the cost-of-living crisis, Albanese used the parliamentary family reunion allowance to fly his wife, Jodie Haydon, and son, Nathan Albanese, from Sydney to Canberra on May 12.
Each one-way flight cost $647.83, with the same amount charged for their return flights to Sydney on May 14, bringing the total taxpayer-funded bill to $2,591.32.
Both hold well-paid professional jobs. Nathan works in Commonwealth Bank‘s prestigious institutional banking division, while as of May 2025 Haydon held a senior executive role at Teacher’s Mutual Bank.
But rather than paying for the trip themselves, the cost was quietly shifted onto taxpayers so they could watch the Prime Minister’s big night unfold in person.
Chalmers also brought along his own Budget night support crew, using the family travel allowance to fly his wife, Laura Chalmers, and their son to Canberra.
Mrs Chalmers holds one of the most sought-after jobs in Australian media as editor-in-chief of News Corp Brisbane’s weekend magazines. Even so, it was taxpayers – not the Chalmers family – who picked up the $1,641.14 travel bill.
That included two flights from Brisbane to Canberra costing $618.46 each, a $20 non-refundable airline fee, and two return flights costing $192.11 each.
Taxpayers paid $4200 for Albanese and Chalmer’s families (pictured) to attend Budget night
Taxpayers paid $1,641 to fly Jim Chalmers’ wife and son to Budget Night
Angus Taylor’s wife Louise Clegg (centre) drove to Canberra at no cost to the taxpayer
In contrast, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor did not claim the family travel allowance during the same period.
Daily Mail understands Taylor’s wife, Louise Clegg, drove from the family’s Southern Highlands home in his Hume electorate to Canberra to attend his Budget reply speech, with no parliamentary travel entitlement claimed.
Daily Mail Political Editor Peter van Onselen said the claims, while permitted under the rules, were politically tone-deaf during a cost-of-living crisis.
‘No one would begrudge Albo and Jim Chalmers wanting their families around on Budget Night,’ he said.
‘But taxpayers shouldn’t be expected to cover the travel bill for what was essentially a family cheer squad. And Albo didn’t even have a role – Budget night is the Treasurer’s moment.
‘It’s hardly the scandal of the century, but when families are counting every dollar, asking taxpayers to fund flights for well-paid relatives is an unnecessary expense and a bad look.’
Aussies also criticised the family trip on social media.
‘His son is an adult and should pay his own way and that goes for Albo and his wife,’ one said.
Anthony Albanese quietly billed taxpayers to fly son Nathan and wife Jodie to Budget Night – despite both holding well-paid banking jobs
A second asked: ‘What value did I as a tax payer get from them being there?’
Albanese has a close relationship with his son, Nathan, and has previously said they speak almost every day.
‘I do have a way of making sure that I talk to my son every day, and that to me is a good-luck charm,’ he said.
Nathan previously came under fire after he was gifted a membership to Qantas’ exclusive Chairman’s Lounge by former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, a close friend of Albanese.
The taxpayer-funded trips involving Nathan Albanese, Jodie Haydon and Laura Chalmers come after a bruising year for Labor over MPs’ family travel claims.
Communications and Sports Minister Anika Wells faced criticism after claiming flights for her husband to attend high-profile events including the AFL grand finals, Boxing Day Test and Formula One Grand Prix.
Trade Minister Don Farrell was also questioned over more than $100,000 in family travel expenses since Labor took office, while Attorney-General Michelle Rowland repaid part of the cost of a family trip to Western Australia.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie was also criticised after billing taxpayers for a trip that included her son’s wedding, and later said she would not repay the money.
The four-day trip to Tasmania in February 2023 cost taxpayers $853.52 and included her attendance at the family wedding.