Stop using choppers for short trips:report

Federal politicians should no longer be allowed to travel in helicopters for short trips.

And they should be encouraged to get a bus or car pool in Canberra in some circumstances.

Those are the main findings from a review of MPs' entitlements prompted by the scandal over Bronwyn Bishop's use of a chartered helicopter for a Melbourne to Geelong trip.

The government on Wednesday accepted 36 recommendations of the report, which urged the term "entitlements" to be scrapped because it was misleading and inappropriate and replaced with "work expenses".

MPs should be guided about not using helicopters for short trips in metropolitan and urban areas, unless there's a natural disaster or a national security threat.

Charter transport must be about value for money.

"Common sense and good judgment must always be exercised," the report said.

However, there were exceptions for large, rural or remote electorates or in disaster zones where chartered aircraft may be accepted because of a lack of viable scheduled alternatives.

The review committee also urged the government to re-examine the taxpayer-funded shuttle service that operates in sitting weeks.

It wasn't convinced about the efficiency of the lines of cars outside Parliament House and Canberra airport waiting for parliamentarians during sitting weeks - and no one knows how much it's costing taxpayers.

As such the committee called for a new shuttle bus and sharing arrangements between MPs for busy periods or trips to the airport.

The report said trust was a major factor and a complex expenses system would inevitably lead to errors and invite abuse.

Real or perceived breaches of this trust undermine confidence in parliamentarians.

"Such breaches become difficult to avoid when those using, administering and scrutinising expenses face such a complex system."

The controversy over Ms Bishop's use of a chartered a helicopter for a $5000 taxpayer-funded flight ultimately led to her resignation as Speaker.

The government has started work on implementing the report's recommendations.