You may claim, against your office expenses budget, signage, facilities and equipment to assist you to conduct your parliamentary business at a mobile office (e.g. a stall at a shopping centre, community fair or market) within your electorate.
Mobile office facilities and equipment could include a marquee to provide coverage when you are conducting your parliamentary business outdoors, site fees and other necessary items such as a table and chairs, or the cost of an exhibition booth for indoor events.
In general, venue hire (such as function rooms and community centres and halls) is not claimable as a mobile office facility other than in limited circumstances, such as due to an unexpected severe weather event that necessitates the use of a venue or where a member needs to travel a significant distance from their Commonwealth-funded electorate office to meet with constituents. Please contact the MaPS Help Desk if you intend to claim venue hire costs.
The following are examples of what does not constitute a mobile office:
- hosting large public forums (e.g. to facilitate a debate on issues of importance to constituents, or a large election campaign event)
- hosting an event or conference
- hiring office accommodation, whether on a temporary or permanent basis (temporary office accommodation is provided under the PBR Act framework at Commonwealth Parliament Offices and certain members may claim expenses relating to privately leased satellite offices).
Vehicle vinyl wrapping is also permitted as mobile office signage if the vehicle is used as your mobile office. Any costs post-installation, including removal of signage, are your personal responsibility. With all private-plated vehicle signage, any costs levied by the contracted lease provider to repair any resulting damage will also be your personal responsibility. You may only claim signage which identifies or directs constituents to your mobile office location, and in quantities that are adequate to achieve this purpose.
Conditions and reporting
Mobile office expenses:
- must not solicit a vote for any person (including a political party), solicit financial or non-financial support or party memberships, nor include an advertisement pursuing a commercial purpose
- may include wording and/or symbols for the purpose of identifying or directing constituents to the mobile office location
- must not contain issues-based or election campaign material (for example, ‘Say yes/no to [Issue]’ or ‘Vote for [campaign policy]). This limitation only applies to mobile office signage, and does not apply more broadly to other office expenses, such as printed and electronic materials. For conditions relating to all office expenses, please visit Conditions for claiming.
- must conform to the terms of any local government requirements, for example, regarding placement and construction
- must be easily movable. For example, eligible signage may include an A-frame or pull-up banner. Fixed billboards or signs that are incorporated into fixed structures are not claimable.
Mobile office expenses are included in your expenditure reports published by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA).