MP expenses scandal: Only 31 per cent of South Australians trust state politicians on claiming salary and benefits, The Australian Institute reveals
Less than one third of South Australians trust state politicians to do the right thing when it comes to claiming their salary and benefits, new research reveals.
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Only 31 per cent of South Australians trust state politicians to act in an honest and transparent way when it comes to claiming their salary and benefits, new research from The Australian Institute reveals.
A survey if 510 residents between July 23 and 27 also showed 72 per cent of voters want the full salary and benefits paid to each MP released to the public and 88 per cent support tougher penalties for parliamentarians caught incorrectly claiming benefits and public money to which they are not entitled.
It comes in the wake if the country members allowance scandal which resulted in the resignation of then-Ministers Stephan Knoll and Tim Whetstone, as well as the then-Upper House President Terry Stephens and the then-Government Whip Adrian Pederick.
The group admitted either confusion or errors in their claims to the allowance.
Liberal backbencher Fraser Ellis has also acknowledged errors in some of his claims.
Mr Knoll, Mr Whetstone and Mr Ellis have paid back thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded claims.
Under parliamentary rules, country-based MPs can claim up to $234 a night if they have to stay in Adelaide to attend parliament or undertake duties associated with their job if they incur expenses doing so.
“Our research shows that there is a clear deficit of trust in members of state parliament amongst South Australians right now,” The Australia Institute SA director Noah Schultz-Byard said.
“Voters want greater transparency from their MPs and they want to see them face tougher penalties when they have done something wrong.”
Mr Schultz-Byard said a transparent and effective system of accountability would “help to protect the reputation of the vast majority of MPs who behave responsibly and do the right thing”.
“Being a politician can be a hard and very demanding job,” he said.
“Long hours spent working away from families, in often difficult circumstances, should be recognised with adequate compensation.
“What the voters won’t accept though is dodgy behaviour and a lack of transparency or accountability from their elected officials.”
While the research found 31 per cent of respondents trust MPs, it found 58 per cent did not.
The remaining 11 per cent answered “don’t know/not sure”.