Government frontbencher Anika Wells is under growing pressure to explain her travel bills after revelations she charged taxpayers nearly $1000 for a chauffeur to wait while she attended the Australian Open.

The Communications and Sport Minister has for days been dogged by revelations she claimed thousands of dollars to fly herself and her family to major events.

While technically within the rules, the opposition claims the spending doesn’t pass the pub test and could put the key Labor figure – who has been spearheading the impending social media ban for under-16s – in breach of the ministerial code of conduct.

Wells’ register of interests shows Tennis Australia gifted her and a partner tickets to the 2023 Australian Open finals.

On January 28 that year, the date of the women’s final, she claimed a $958.98 COMCAR bill.

COMCAR is the taxpayer-funded chauffeur service used by politicians, the governor-general and top judges. Transport is billed at $2.22 a minute, meaning Wells’ car was booked for more than seven hours.

It’s common for the Minister to attend major sporting events, but deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien said the spending appeared to be an error of judgment.

“I think there are more questions to answer,” he told ABC radio.

“It’s always up to the parliamentarian to justify his or her expenses,” O’Brien said.

Other MPs have also been roped into the expenses saga, including trade minister and Labor powerbroker Don Farrell for claiming well over $100,000 for “family reunion” travel since 2022.

Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh was also accused of billing taxpayers to fly her son to Queensland, where he took part in the Australian National Judo Championships on the Gold Coast.

Under current rules, a politician can claim travel expenses only if the “dominant purpose” of the trip is their official duties.

MPs and senators can also claim three “family reunion” trips a year, which include business class airfares. The entitlement is designed to ensure politicians stay in touch with their family despite the long hours and heavy travel demands of the role.

Wells has come under heavy scrutiny for her travel after charging taxpayers nearly $100,000 to fly herself and two staff to the United Nations to spruik the world-first social media ban.

Anika Wells’ husband Finn McCarthy was flown to top sports events at taxpayers’ expense. Photo: AAP

Since then, it’s emerged that she claimed $1885 for return flights between Brisbane and Melbourne for her husband, Finn McCarthy, to join her for the 2022 Boxing Day Test against South Africa.

She also claimed $1275 to fly McCarthy to Sydney for the Prime Minister’s reception for the Australian and Pakistani cricket teams and $984 to fly him to Melbourne for a match at the MCG.

Under Labor’s ministerial code of conduct, frontbenchers are reminded to be cautious with their use of taxpayer money.

“Such resources are not to be subject to wasteful or extravagant use, and due economy is to be observed at all times,” it warns.

McIntosh said she would welcome a review of the guidelines.

“The Prime Minister himself should … let the Australian people know whether his minister is acting within his expectations of a senior member of his team,” she said.

Cabinet minister Amanda Rishworth conceded MPs needed to be “very, very careful” with their spending while people were struggling to make ends meet but said the travel was for work purposes.

“Minister Wells has extensively answered these questions and made it very clear that she followed the guidelines,” she told Nine’s Today Show.

-AAP