MPs chalk up $16mil in three months

Members of parliament and their staff notched up $16 million in travel expenses in three months, a new report shows.

The Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority said in its first annual report MPs had spent $6.6 million on travel between April 3, when the agency began its work, and the end of June.

$9 million was spent on staff travel, while $400,000 was taken in fringe benefits tax to arrive at the figure of $16 million.

IPEA chair Jillian Segal said in the report there were "considerable challenges" ahead as the authority rolled out new technology to lodge and process expenses, and it was important to "build public trust and confidence" in the expenses system.