Australian Treasury related agencies spend 17000 AUD on massages in 2004
{{date|November 2, 2005}}

Australian agencies under the responsibility of the federal Treasurer, [[w:Peter Costello|Peter Costello]], spent approximately $17,000 [[w:AUD|AUD]] on massage services in 2004, namely the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The [[w:Australian Labor Party|Australian Labor Party]] member [[w:Christopher Bowen|Christopher Bowen]] asked the Treasurer for details on massage services in a question on notice, and received the answer on October 31. 

637 ASIC staff made use of massages, compared with only 50 in the ABS, who however spent more on massages than ASIC. ABS staff paid $15 for 15 minutes and $10 for 10 minutes, while ASIC staff paid only $10.86 per massage. 

== Sources ==
{{original}}
* Australian House of Representatives ''[http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr311005.pdf Hansard]'' (pdf), October 31, 2005. (Question No. 984)

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Wackynews]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Peter Costello]]
Australian agencies under the responsibility of the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, spent approximately $17,000 AUD on massage services in 2004, namely the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The Australian Labor Party member Christopher Bowen asked the Treasurer for details on massage services in a question on notice, and received the answer on October 31. 

637 ASIC staff made use of massages, compared with only 50 in the ABS, who however spent more on massages than ASIC. ABS staff paid $15 for 15 minutes and $10 for 10 minutes, while ASIC staff paid only $10.86 per massage.
Politics and conflicts Wackynews Australia Oceania Peter Costello