Anika Wells moves her family into her office at Parliament House for the summer to save money on their air con at home

AIR CON: Embattled Labor MP Anika Wells has transformed her office at Parliament House into a comfortable living space for her family of five.

“We are beating rising energy costs this summer,” she told DBT.

“It’s so expensive to cool a house in Canberra, so we are spending the next few months here in my air conditioned office instead.”

Already under fire for her creative interpretation of parliamentary travel entitlements, the Sports Minister says the decision is “completely above board.”

“My husband loves it here,” she says.

“He says the showers in the parliamentary bathroom facilities are so much better than at home.”

Parliament house staff are expressing concern about the arrangement.

“She’s using the office mini-fridge to accomodate a week’s worth of groceries for five people.” said one staffer.

“And yesterday she asked maintenance if they could knock through to the adjoining office to create an ‘open-plan feel.'”