Queensland taxpayers paid almost $35,000 in fringe benefits tax (FBT) during the 2025–26 financial year for Members of Parliament (MPs) who used accommodation at the Parliamentary Annexe for personal overnight stays. The figures were disclosed during the state's budget estimates hearings, highlighting a sharp increase in the number of stays compared with the previous financial year.
According to evidence presented during the hearings, MPs reported a total of 191 personal overnight stays at the Parliamentary Annexe during the last financial year. This represents a substantial rise from 39 stays recorded in the previous year. As a result, the associated fringe benefits tax bill increased from just over $7,000 to almost $35,000.
The Parliamentary Annexe provides accommodation primarily for MPs who need to remain in Brisbane while Parliament is sitting or while carrying out official duties. However, when accommodation is used for personal reasons rather than parliamentary business, the Queensland Parliament is required to pay fringe benefits tax under Australian taxation rules.
Budget estimates also revealed that 33 MPs declared personal overnight stays during the financial year, compared with 13 MPs in the previous reporting period. While one member recorded 36 personal stays, another reported 20, the identities of the MPs were not disclosed publicly. Parliamentary Speaker Pat Weir said he was reluctant to release a breakdown because some members may have experienced significant personal circumstances that required temporary accommodation.
Clerk of the Parliament Neil Laurie also defended the current reporting system, saying the figures should be viewed over a longer period rather than focusing on a single year. He noted that individual circumstances can vary considerably and cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from one year's data alone.
The estimates hearings also revealed another parliamentary expense. The cost of extending the Parliamentary Dining Room's operating hours outside normal sitting weeks reached approximately $56,000 during the same financial year. Parliamentary officials said the decision was made because more regional ministers now spend time in Brisbane even when Parliament is not sitting.
The figures have prompted debate about transparency and public spending. Opposition MPs questioned whether taxpayers should receive more detailed information about the use of parliamentary accommodation, while government representatives maintained that privacy considerations must also be respected. No party-by-party breakdown of overnight stays has been released.
Queensland Parliament has 93 elected MPs, each representing an electorate across the state. Members from regional and remote areas frequently travel to Brisbane to attend parliamentary sessions and committee meetings, with accommodation arrangements forming part of the Parliament's operational support system.
The latest estimates hearings have renewed discussion about balancing transparency, accountability and privacy in the management of parliamentary expenses. While the costs represent a relatively small portion of the Parliament's overall budget, they have drawn public attention as Queensland continues to face broader cost-of-living and housing pressures.
