Australian federal politicians have accrued almost 4,000 late payment fees in six years, totalling around $56,700.
The $15 fee is charged for every overdue Australia Post invoice for distributing campaign brochures - printed as part of politicians’ annual $130,000 entitlement package.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who has missed 69 payments since 2011 attributed the overdue fees to his time as party leader and the large amount of correspondence his office was responsible for.