Mr Broad chartered a small plane and pilot to take him from Mildura to Stawell, and then to Horsham followed by a flight back to Mildura on July 2.

Mr Broad met with election campaign volunteers, supporters and voters at polling centres in both Horsham and Stawell.

The charges were revealed in a six-monthly report on members of parliament and senators’ expenses and travel claims, which was released on Thursday night.

Fairfax Media asked Mr Broad if he engaged in any other electorate business besides campaigning for re-election as a result of the flights on July 2.

Mr Broad was also asked if he declared a reason for the flights on his travel expense declaration forms.

Mr Broad’s office responded with a statement.

“As the Federal Member for Mallee Mr Broad is entitled access to charter within and for the service of the Electorate of Mallee,” the statement said. 

“On July 2, 2016 Mr Broad was in Stawell and Horsham taking the opportunity to meet many members of the electorate, as all parts of the vast Wimmera and Mallee are important to Mr Broad.

“It is not required for Federal Members to specify reason for charter travel within their own electorate, as long as the charter is within and for the service of that electorate.”

Fairfax Media does not allege that Mr Broad broke the rules around parliamentarians claiming travel expenses.

While on board the charter flight, Mr Broad took a photo of himself and his pilot and sent it to a journalist in Canberra.

Mr Broad also took photos of the Brim silos art from the windows of the plane and posted them on social media along with a message that he was flying to Stawell and Mildura to campaign for re-election.

“Campaigning in the Mallee, flying from Mildura to Stawell and took a photo of the silos at Brim,” Mr Broad posted on Twitter.

The latest politicians’ expense report was the last of its type to be handled by the Department of Finance.

The next round of expenses will be handled by an independent body that was set up in the the wake of an expenses scandal surrounding former health minister Sussan Ley.

Ms Ley resigned from her high-profile position after being accused of using taxpayer funds to travel to the Gold Coast in order to purchase an $800,000 investment property with her own money.