Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has leapt to the defence of her embattled colleague Anika Wells as fresh details about a taxpayer-funded trip to Adelaide emerge.
The Sports and Communications Minister was ordered to repay $10,116 to taxpayers after an audit released last Friday found four breaches of parliamentary travel rules across multiple trips between 2022 and 2025.
It has since been revealed that Wells also conducted a 'sideline meeting' at a 40th birthday party during a $3,681 taxpayer-funded trip to Adelaide on June 7 last year.
She told the parliamentary watchdog that when a meeting with then-South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton fell through, it was rescheduled to take place at his wife Connie Blefari's 40th birthday party at The Jade.
Picton has so far refused to back Wells' claims about their meeting, or confirm whether he had spoken to her since news of their meeting broke in December.
'Minister Picton regularly engages with federal ministers on key issues,' a South Australian government spokesman said.
The Adelaide trip blended official duties with a birthday party, raising questions about whether parliamentary business was conducted in a private setting.
But the federal finance minister insisted that Wells had 'done the right thing' during an appearance on Sunrise on Tuesday morning.
Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells (left) was cleared over a $3,681 trip to Adelaide funded by taxpayers, despite holding a 'sideline meeting' at a friend's 40th birthday
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (pictured) has defended her frontbench colleagues
The Jade describes itself as the home of live music in Adelaide (pictured)
'When there were concerns raised about her travel, she referred all of her travel to the Independent Expenses Authority,' she said. 'They have done a thorough audit of her travel and some of the issues that she was accused of.
'Breaking the rules towards the end of last year has proven to be not correct. But there were a couple of areas where Anika was required to pay some money back.
'She's done that, she's apologised and I think that's all you can do.
'That's why we have this independent expenses authority that to make to do those audits, to make those decisions. And then anyone, not just ministers, but anyone who needs to pay back money should do so.'
But Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson blasted the meeting, saying it 'simply did not pass the pub test'.
'You cannot turn a birthday party into official business just because a minister was in the room,' she told Sky News on Monday.
'Perhaps the 'sideline meeting' was in the kitchen as the two Labor ministers poured themselves a glass of champagne? While partygoers were blowing out the candles, it seems Anika Wells was blowing up her credibility.'
Coalition senator James McGrath told the Australian Financial Review that Mr Picton's refusal to corroborate Wells' claims was a significant oversight.
South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton (pictured with his wife Connie) is yet to corroborate Wells' claims about the meeting
'Minister Wells has been caught out lying to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, that is an egregious breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct,' he said.
Wells told the watchdog that a scheduled meeting did not take place because a meeting with Trade Minister Don Farrell's office 'ran over time'.
'The meeting with the South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing did not take place as scheduled in the afternoon due to the prior meeting running over,' she said in her submission to IPEA.
'We instead held a sideline meeting during a function later that evening.
'I therefore estimate that my parliamentary business concluded at 7:45pm on 7 June.'
Taxpayers were billed for the trip after the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) ruled its main purpose was for official duties.
The audit last Friday came after months of scrutiny over Wells' use of taxpayer-funded travel, including high-profile trips to sporting events and a costly visit to New York to promote Australia's social media restrictions at the United Nations.
Anthony Albanese has backed Wells throughout the controversy, pointing to her decision to initiate the audit and repay the money once issues were identified.
'She referred herself to it, which was appropriate, and it was appropriate that she paid back the money,' the prime minister told reporters on Friday.
'She has done what the rules require. Anika Wells is a very good minister doing extraordinary work.'