Liberal MP Fraser Ellis claimed country members travel allowance on the night he attended a dinner function 10 minutes from home
More questions have emerged over Yorke Peninsula MP Fraser Ellis’s travel claims, after a Facebook photo shows he attended a dinner in Wallaroo on a night he received $225 for staying in Adelaide.
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A Liberal backbencher claimed the taxpayer-funded travel allowance for a night when he was photographed at an evening event just 10 minutes from his home – but declared he was staying in the city.
Fraser Ellis, the MP for the Yorke Peninsula electorate of Narungga, has already agreed to pay back more than $42,000 after telling State Parliament the country members allowance claims he made from November 2018 onwards may not be legitimate. He blamed a change in the benefit’s criteria for the potential bungle.
Under parliamentary rules, country MPs can claim up to $234 per night if they live more than 75km from the Adelaide GPO and need to stay in the city to attend parliament or undertake other work duties.
Now fresh questions have emerged over claims Mr Ellis made prior to November 2018 after a photograph on social media showed him at a dinner conference in Wallaroo on a night he claimed the then-$225 allowance for being in the city.
Mr Ellis, who lived in Kadina at the time, posted on Facebook a picture of himself and former premier Rob Kerin at the South Australian Regional Development Conference dinner on June 7, 2018. The event was held at the Coopers Alehouse Wallaroo from 6.30pm.
Mr Ellis’s June 2018 allowance form shows he claimed he stayed four nights in the city, from June 4-7 inclusive, pocketing $900 for the stint.
According to Google Maps, a trip from Wallaroo to Adelaide is a two-hour drive.
The Advertiser asked Mr Ellis if he could explain why it appeared he was in Wallaroo on a night he claimed he stayed in the city, and queried whether he drove back to Adelaide after the conference.
The Advertiser also asked Mr Ellis why his claim forms showed inconsistencies in the way he counted nights in Adelaide.
In one example, one day to the next was counted as one night while on the same claim form, the same timeframe was counted as two nights.
Mr Ellis said he could not respond as the state’s anti-corruption watchdog was investigating.
“You are no doubt aware that the ICAC Act 2012 prohibits a person who receives information knowing that the information is connected with a matter that forms or is the subject of a complaint, report, assessment, investigation, referral or evaluation under the Act from disclosing that information,” Mr Ellis said.
“You’re asking for information from me which is about a matter that falls within one or more of those categories.
“As you know, I am not in a position to respond to your questions at this time.”
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander last week confirmed he will investigate whether Ministers and MPs had rorted the country members allowance over the past decade.
One of Mr Ellis’s colleagues has told The Advertiser a committee on which Mr Ellis sits had a meeting in the city on June 8.
Opposition spokeswoman Susan Close called on Premier Steven Marshall to instruct Mr Ellis to resign from his role on the Crime and Public Integrity Committee.
“Mr Ellis is being forced to repay more than $40,000 he has claimed from the country members accommodation allowance dating back to November 2018,” she said.
“These new revelations raise serious questions about his use of the allowance preceding that date, covering taxpayers’ money he has not repaid.
“Mr Ellis needs to explain why he has not repaid money claimed before November 2018.”
Former ministers Stephan Knoll and Tim Whetstone resigned from Cabinet after repaying thousands of dollars they claimed under the scheme.
Senior Liberal Terry Stephens also quit his post as Upper House President amid questions over his entitlements.
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