Federal parliamentarians and their staff were involved in more than 100 road accidents over 16 months, and racked up almost 400 fines.
However, the government says there does not appear to have been a significant increase in traffic-law breaches.
Every MP and senator's office is provided with a taxpayer-funded car, which the politician, their family and staff members can use for work or personal reasons.
Some parliamentarians from rural areas receive two vehicles.
The Finance Department says that between August 22, 2010, and December 8, 2011, parliamentarians' cars were involved in 104 accidents.
The vehicles' drivers also failed to pay tolls on 181 occasions, received 98 speeding fines, 76 parking tickets and nine fines for running red lights, and incurred one other unspecified traffic notice. However, these amounts are only a fraction of the total number of breaches, as the department does not receive every infringement notice.
Special Minister of State Gary Gray said yesterday his office had compared the number of infringements with previous years, and there had been ''no significant change''.
The Finance Department did not say which parliamentarians' offices were responsible for the most infringements. Taxpayers do not pay any of the fines; the drivers at the time of the offences are liable.








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