27Family member private vehicle allowance—travel to Canberra

27 Family member private vehicle allowance—travel to Canberra

(1) For the purposes of subsection 31(1) of the Act, an allowance (the family member private vehicle allowance) is prescribed for fuel and running costs for a family member of a member to travel to or from Canberra in the family member’s private vehicle for family reunion purposes.

Note 1: The private vehicle could be owned by another family member: see the definition of private vehicle in section 4.

Note 2: The rate of family member private vehicle allowance is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal: see subsections 31(2) and 45(1) of the Act.

(2) The travel by private vehicle may be for the whole or part of the journey.

Note: For annual limits on the use of transport costs prescribed by this section, see section 29.

Exchanging fares for allowance (3) If a fare is available under section 17 or 18 for a family member for a financial year, the fare may be exchanged for family member private vehicle allowance. (4) For the purposes of sections 17 and 18, a one‑way journey to or from Canberra counts as half of a return fare. (5) If a fare is exchanged for family member private vehicle allowance, the amount of the allowance is not required to be counted for the purposes of the limit set out in section 29.

Note: More than one fare may be exchanged under subsection (4) during a financial year.

Allowance for some family members is available only if fare is exchanged (6) Family member private vehicle allowance is available to the following only if a fare is exchanged under subsection (3): (a) a family member of a senator for the Australian Capital Territory; (b) a family member of a member of the House of Representatives whose electorate is in the Australian Capital Territory. When section does not apply (7) This section does not prescribe family member private vehicle allowance for the spouse of a senior office holder.

Note: For travel by the spouse of a senior office holder, see sections 24 and 28.