Travelling for training guidance

If you are interested in attending a face to face training course that is not located within reasonable distance, you may be able to claim travel expenses to attend. This includes training under the Professional Development Program (PDP), approved ad hoc training and professional development, and other training for work health and safety roles.

Offices of certain parliamentarians are allocated four trips per year for electorate employees to travel to the nearest capital city to attend training. The list of each parliamentarian and the number of trips allowed is provided below.

If the parliamentarian has more than one electorate office, the number of trips increases:

• those with a second electorate office have access to five trips per year
• those with a third electorate office have access to six trips per year.

The trips per year apply to the office and not an individual.

The electorate office must be:

• outside the greater metropolitan area of capital cities
• in the Northern Territory
• in Tasmania.

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Employees of NT parliamentarians may also use these trips to attend training in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Electorate employees of all Tasmanian parliamentarians may also use these trips to attend training in Melbourne.

Victoria

Western Australia

Claiming (additional) trips for training

To claim the additional trip for training, complete the staff travelling and/or motor vehicle allowance claim form (see related resources). Clearly write on the form that the claim is related to attending the PDP or ad hoc training. If the form is not properly completed, the expense will be incorrectly debited from the electorate support budget.

If you would like to know how many trips have already been claimed for your office, contact the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA).

Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training

HSRs can attend HSR training (5 day initial course followed by a 1 day refresher) at a cost of around $1,000. This training provides HSRs with an understanding of their role and responsibilities including inspecting a workplace where an incident involving a serious risk to someone’s health and safety has occurred and monitoring compliance.

Training applications can be submitted via the online application form and are considered in accordance with the guidelines for ‘Learning and Professional Development: Ad hoc training and professional development’.

Applications will need to be accompanied by an approval email from your Parliamentarian (or the authorised officer for your office) and emailed to mopstraining@finance.gov.au. The MOPS Training team will be the contact regarding invoicing and any further support regarding your training enrolment.

Travel costs associated with this training will not be debited from the employing parliamentarian’s Electorate Support Budget (ESB).