It is the report that can end a parliamentary career – revealing how much federal MPs have splurged on travel, charter flights, office facilities and other work expenses.

The Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority released its first report on Friday, aiming to ensure politicians are accountable for the way they spend millions in taxpayer dollars.

Announced after the travel scandal that claimed the scalp of former health minister Sussan Ley, the new quarterly report was touted by the federal government as one of the biggest reforms to the expenses system in a generation.

The release, covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 2017, shows senator Cory Bernardi charged taxpayers more than $1600 to attend an anti-halal rally in Melbourne in his first public outing as the leader of the Australian Conservatives party.