MPs fight for lifetime travel perks

Former federal MPs are threatening a High Court challenge to hold onto their lifetime "gold pass" plane travel perks.

The federal government announced on budget night in May that it would abolish the scheme, which provided former MPs and senators with 10 free return airfares within Australia every year.

Labor has backed the move.

But Murray Sainsbury, president of the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of Australia, said the benefit was "clearly a term and condition of parliamentary remuneration" and abolishing it would be "unconscionable", ABC News reports.

In a submission to a Senate inquiry, the Association warned that retrospectively stripping members of their travel entitlement would be unconstitutional because it amounts to "unjust" acquisition of property.

The submission estimates abolishing the travel scheme would provide only "minuscule" savings of $1 million per year over the next five years and may end up costing the government more if a High Court challenge were successful.