Councils’ travel expenses published every year under SA Liberal plan

THE Government says it supports a Liberal plan to make council travel expenses public — but says Opposition Leader Steven Marshall is being hypocritical, given he has not released his own expenditure details.

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DETAILS of all travel expenses billed to ratepayers would be publicly released every year, under a Liberal election pledge to cut “wasteful” spending by councils.

The state’s 68 local authorities would be compelled to reveal key aspects of official trips by elected members and administration staff under the Opposition plan, if it wins government.

The Government said it was supportive of the plan but accused Opposition Leader Steven Marshall of being hypocritical, given he had not released his own travel expenses.

The plan comes as State Ombudsman Wayne Lines on Thursday released a report that found Mt Gambier Mayor Andrew Lee “walked a very fine ethical line” in his role in a winery sale.

Opposition local government spokesman David Pisoni said a Liberal check of 19 metropolitan councils found that just one — the City of Prospect — published details of travel in annual reports.

“This is simply unacceptable and ratepayers have a right to know how much of their dollars are being spent on travel for elected members as well as other expenses,” he said.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan said he supported requiring councils to publish travel details, but wanted Mr Marshall to follow suit.

“(Publishing Local Government expenses) is in line with government ministers proactively disclosing details of travel expenses during this parliamentary term,” Mr Mullighan said.

“However, Mr Marshall has so far refused to reveal details of his travel expenses as Opposition Leader.

If Mr Marshall does not release details of his own travel expenses today, he must explain why

he expects the Premier, government ministers and local councils to reveal their expenses, but

not himself.”

Opposition local government spokesman David Pisoni

The travel debate reignited this week after The Advertiser revealed Port Pirie’s political leader met up with his online girlfriend while on separate ratepayer-funded overseas trips in six weeks.

John Rohde, 52, a former Labor Party candidate for the local state seat of Frome, flew to the Philippines in April and May 2016 on trade missions, costing his council almost $3500. The trip was the subject of an internal investigation which found no wrongdoing, but the details of its findings have not been released.

Critics have questioned whether international State Government-led “trade missions” or so-called “sister city” initiatives offer value for ratepayers’ money.

The Liberal Party will announce on Friday that it would make it “mandatory” for information such as the cost, locations visited and reason for travel, to be published in a council’s annual report.

It would include overseas and interstate travel for conferences, events and other trips undertaken on official “council business” but would not include receipts.

Mr Pisoni said ministers and their staff were required to disclose travel expenses.

He said there was “no shortage” of examples of council wastage such as sending elected members to the Australian Open tennis for a week, funding golf memberships or luxury cars “all at the expense of ratepayers”.

Mr Pisoni described Mr Rohde’s trips — in which the mayor’s girlfriend, Bita, 45, attended official embassy functions — as a “waste of ratepayer money”.

Port Pirie Mayor John Rohde and his former girlfriend Bita at an official trade dinner at the Makati Shangri-La hotel in Manila during his second ratepayer-funded trip to the Philippines in May 2016.

He said South Australians were “fed up with councils wasting their rates on outrageous expenses, including ridiculous travel costs”.

“This latest use of South Australian ratepayer money on overseas travel is another kick in the guts to hardworking South Australians struggling to pay their sky rocketing council rates,” he said.

“There is a complete lack of transparency and accountability in the way councils are reporting how they spend ratepayer money.”

Under current rules, any councillor who incurs a “benefit” of more than $100 must disclose it in a public register, which includes any trips paid for by a third party. Expenses above $100 are also published.

The public can access the register for a fee “fixed by the council”.

Councils also commonly debate travel proposals at public meetings, or approve funding in annual budget papers. Some councils do not actively reveal travel costs and there is no requirement to compel local authorities to routinely publish ratepayer-funded travel of elected members or staff.

Marion mayor Kris Hanna

Marion mayor Kris Hanna, a former state MP and outspoken critic of council overseas travel, said local government should instead focus “on their communities”.

He said overseas trade missions should be undertaken by private business, the government or commerce groups.

“Honestly, I don’t see if it is rarely, or ever warranted, at local government level,” he said.

Local Government Minister, Geoff Brock, also Port Pirie’s local MP, this week warned all councils to “adhere to the high standards of transparency and accountability”.

Mr Pisoni said that if the Liberals were elected, its ministers would lead a drive to cap council rates through an independent watchdog and to “increase transparency and accountability”.

LGA President Lorraine Rosenberg said there were requirements under the Local Government Act and its related regulations for councils to transparently report in budgets and on registers the travel costs incurred by staff and council members.

“However, should there be any proposal for changes to this legislation then we would consult with our members before determining a position,” she said.