Anika Wells’ $4,000 taxpayer-funded birthday trip under scrutiny as second minister’s office finds no meeting records

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1h ago

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA 03:36 15 Oct 2026, updated 03:46 15 Oct 2026

Communications Minister Anika Wells is facing fresh questions over her taxpayer-funded trip to Adelaide after searches of two ministers’ records found no documentation of meetings she said took place.

Wells cited a meeting with Trade Minister Don Farrell’s chief of staff and a ‘sideline meeting’ with South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton as official business during the trip, which cost taxpayers almost $4,000.

The visit also included attending the 40th birthday celebration of her close friend Connie Blefari, Picton’s wife.

An FOI response obtained by the Coalition shows Farrell’s office could not locate any emails, text messages, diary entries or other records documenting Wells’ meeting with his chief of staff, Ben Rillo, on the afternoon of June 7, 2025.

Farrell’s office nevertheless confirmed the meeting took place and said details had been provided to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority as part of its audit of Wells’ travel.

The response follows revelations on Sunday that Picton’s ministerial diary contained no record of a meeting with Wells that afternoon or during his wife’s birthday party that evening.

The diary is marked ‘personal affairs’ from 5pm onwards and does not name Wells.

Wells told IPEA that her planned afternoon meeting with Picton did not go ahead. She said they instead held a ‘sideline meeting’ at the party, with her parliamentary business concluding at 7.45pm.

Her travel claims included return flights, car services and accommodation on Friday, June 6.

IPEA accepted Wells’ account, finding it reasonable for her to remain in Adelaide overnight on Saturday and return to Brisbane the following morning. Wells paid for Saturday night’s accommodation herself.

Opposition communications spokeswoman Sarah Henderson said the lack of documentation raised serious questions about whether the meetings had taken place.

‘It is time the Prime Minister showed some integrity and sacked Anika Wells,’ Senator Henderson said.

‘This is more damning evidence that Anika Wells concocted fake meetings to justify staying overnight in Adelaide so she could charge taxpayers for the business class flight home.

‘The Ministerial Code of Conduct makes it clear that ministers must be scrupulous in ensuring the legitimacy and accuracy of any claim for ministerial, parliamentary or travel expenses.

‘The code also requires ministers to take all reasonable steps to ensure they do not mislead the public or the Parliament.

‘Minister Wells has failed on both counts. She has treated taxpayers with contempt.

‘The party is over for Anika Wells. She should go, and go now.’

Asked on the Today show on Thursday why supporting documents could not be made public, Wells said the independent expenses watchdog had already reviewed and cleared the trip.

‘We settled this with the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority five months ago,’ she said.

‘We provided all of the documents to IPEA, to the independent regulator. They confirmed everybody’s version of events.

‘They were satisfied that this trip is within the rules. And they released that report, and all of this information is public, and it was made public five months ago.’

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