Scope

• all staff, students and visitors of the University and its Controlled Entities
• purchase or reimbursement of all travel products from University Funds. This includes income from research grants, consultancies and income earned by Controlled Entities.

DEFINITIONS
Advance:  cash payment provided to a traveller to cover predicted expenditure.

“Best Fare of the Day”: the lowest available fare for the journey that enables the business purpose to be completed effectively.

Contracted supplier: selected supplier or travel service provider that offers special commercial benefits to Macquarie University.

Domestic Travel: travel to any destination within Australia.

E3 Booking Tool: Campus Travel online booking tool for Domestic Travel

Employee: staff of the University, staff of the University’s Controlled Entities and students.

Frequent Traveller: an employee who travels domestically more than 12 times per year or, alternatively, combined internationally and domestically more than 8 times per year.

Fully-Funded Travel:  where the University pays all costs associated with business-related travel, regardless of whether the University is reimbursed.

International Travel: official travel to any destination outside Australia.

• attendance at conferences
• absence on research field work
• absence on special training courses/live-in courses.

In these cases the total amount of University funds approved for travel expenses should be stipulated as part of the travel approval.

Per Diem: a daily allowance paid, at the discretion of the University, to cover all meals and minor incidentals.

Reasonable costs: all legitimate work-related expenses which are incurred.

Restricted Area: any country or region where the threat to the health and safety of the traveller is considered high. In general, the University will be guided by the advice/recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in respect of Restricted Areas. DFAT has two high-risk categories: Category 4 - advice is for the traveller to reconsider the need for a trip, and Category 5 - advice is not to travel.

Travel Diary:  record of travel events to meet the requirements of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

University Business: activity of a business, educational or professional nature sanctioned by the University.

University Credit Card: University-issued credit card used to procure goods/services for University use.

University Funds: all funds controlled by the University, including grant money, consultancy earnings, research grant monies and earnings from entrepreneurial ventures.

Policy

EXCEPTIONS
Exceptions to this Policy may only be approved by the Vice-Chancellor or Chief Operating Officer.

REASON FOR TRAVEL
The University will fund domestic and international travel for staff on official University business. That is, funds will only be spent on travel for business directly associated with the functions of the University.
 
Staff may undertake personal or private travel in conjunction with travel on official University business, provided they obtain prior approval and pay for these costs separately.

Staff are not to receive an additional benefit from travelling on University business. Staff will not be expected to subsidise the cost of officially representing the University.

Staff must comply with the University’s directions in regard to travel to Restricted Areas. Travel to any destination nominated as Medium to High Risk or above (as defined by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)) must be approved in advance by the Vice-Chancellor.

EXPENSES
The University will pay approved travel expenses when staff travel on official University business.

The University will only fund any cost incurred for an accompanying spouse, partner or dependant where this supports the mission of the University and prior approval has been obtained. Spousal and dependant travel will be at the same travel class as the staff member. 

TRAVEL CLASS
The University will fund a reasonable standard of travel, accommodation and subsistence consistent with the public nature of the University.  This will include appropriate levels of safety, convenience and comfort at appropriate cost to the University and according to its duty of care.

The class of travel will depend on the substantive position of the person travelling, as follows.
International Travel

Domestic Travel

*Includes First-Class rail travel including sleeping berth, but excludes Premium Economy Class.

APPROVAL
Approval authorities are:

Note that financial delegation is not a delegation to approve travel.
 
A  completed  International Airline Booking Approval Form, Itinerary and Statement of Cost from the travel agent are required for international travel.
 
The Faculty or Administration unit are required to ensure the necessary approvals are in place before booking domestic travel.

Delegated officers cannot approve their own travel expenses. An officer on the next highest level of delegation in a direct reporting line must be requested to approve the travel expenses.

Subordinates may not approve the travel expenses of a supervisor regardless of whether they have  an appropriate delegation.

• obtain a University Credit Card and use it as a first preference for purchasing travel-related expenditure, excluding International travel.
• use the University’s contracted travel agent Campus Travel  and the E3 online booking tool to book all domestic travel
• use the University’s contracted travel agents STA Travel (Macquarie Campus Branch only) or Campus Travel for all international travel
• use the University’s preferred airline carrier, Qantas, unless this carrier doesn’t meet the criteria of “best fare of the day”
• choose the “best fare of the day”  available at the time of booking
• choose the “best fare of the day” regardless of reward program membership
• consider traveller convenience in relation to flight times, stopovers and length of flight
• contain costs and obtain value for money wherever practical.

Staff are not permitted to use personal credit cards.

If staff purchase air travel from any other travel agent, the University Credit Card will be subject to immediate cancellation.

• all international travel for the duration of the trip
• domestic travel where the trip involves the employee being away for more than five consecutive nights.

FRINGE BENEFIT TAX
The University will comply with all taxation obligations, such as Fringe Benefits Tax.