Howard tops ex-PMs in perks

FIVE of Australia's surviving former prime ministers have cost taxpayers almost $1 million in travel and office expenses in 12 months.

John Howard, Australia's second longest-serving prime minister, topped the list with a bill of almost $300,000 for the 2010-11 financial year, documents released by the Department of Finance and Deregulation revealed.

Entitlements for the five former prime ministers totalled $984,880 for the 12 months.

On top of their generous parliamentary pensions, former prime ministers are entitled to taxpayer-funded support, "in recognition of public service", in the form of domestic airfares - for themselves and family - an office and staff and a car.

In 2001 Mr Howard, as prime minister, announced entitlements of former prime ministers, governors-general and life gold passholders would be made public every six months.

The former Liberal PM's Sydney office cost more than $255,000 to run in 2010-11.

Mr Howard racked up a travel bill of almost $38,000, with that figure comprising an almost even split between car costs and airfares.

Malcolm Fraser was next on the list with taxpayers forking out more than $255,000.

Mr Fraser, who last week turned 82, spent $194,954 on his office and almost $34,000 in car costs.

His airfares totalled $12,269.

The man Mr Fraser successfully deposed as prime minister in 1975, Gough Whitlam, cost taxpayers the least of all the former prime ministers with a total spend of $137,832.

Fellow former Labor MPs Paul Keating ($149,423) and Bob Hawke ($144,603) also came in well below their conservatives counterparts.

PM PERKS

What the five surviving former PMs costs taxpayers in 2010-11*:

John Howard

$297,765.27

Malcolm Fraser

$255,256.10

Paul Keating

$149,423.47

Bob Hawke

$144,603.30

Gough Whitlam

$137,832.20

*Entitlements paid by the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Figures are totals for 2010-11 financial year and taken from documents tabled in parliament.