Rob Lucas claims Tom Koutsantonis hid expenses as FOI documents reveal lunch bills

Treasurer Rob Lucas says his predecessor tried to hide lunches worth hundreds of dollars after documents revealed how much Tom Koutsantonis’ dining bill cost taxpayers.

Opposition government accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said the expenses were incurred from gifts to dignitaries and business lunches. Picture: Image AAP/Mark Brake

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Lunches worth hundreds of dollars and $100 bottles of Penfolds wine were charged to taxpayers by the office of former treasurer Tom Koutsantonis, Freedom of Information documents show.

Treasurer Rob Lucas has accused his predecessor, who is now Opposition government accountability spokesman, of knowingly trying to hide the lunch and booze bills.

But Mr Koutsantonis has vowed it all can be accounted for as gifts to dignitaries or business lunches. And he claims the Liberals have some secret booze receipts unaccounted for.

Treasurer Rob Lucas said Mr Koutsantonis’ office did not disclose receipts showing how much was spent on alcohol. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

A 795-page data dump of receipts and credit cards statements – from March 2014 to March 2018 – requested by the Liberals was made available via the Treasury website on Thursday.

The documents list Mr Koutsantonis’s lunches, including a meal at Lou-ca’s Seafood restaurant, costing $856, including $247 in alcohol, multiple lunches at Georges on Waymouth worth more than $300 each and another at the Hilton’s Coal Cellar and Grill that cost $220.

Mr Lucas said Mr Koutsantonis’s office had government credit cards and disclosed some spending on lunches and dinners but did not disclose actual receipts that showed how much was being spent on alcohol.

He said one lunch at Georges on Waymouth for $2282 involved more than $500 of alcohol, including $58 for a The Pawn Wine Co Chardonnay and $360 on eight bottles of Mother’s Milk Shiraz.

Mr Koutsantonis said that lunch was for 22 people, including Nyrstar representatives on the eve of a $290m deal for the Port Pirie lead smelter.

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He said other business lunches included guests from the Australian Hotels Association, London-based Agent-General Bill Muirhead, News Corp journalists and state leaders.

Mr Lucas said Mr Koutsantonis needed to explain the purchase of expensive wine, including eight bottles of Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2012 and a $62 bottle of Moet.

Mr Koutsantonis said all the wine purchases were gifts for visiting dignitaries and investors in South Australia, chosen because they showcased SA wines.

“None of the bottles purchased by my office were for any other purpose than gifts,” he said.

Penfolds wines went to several people, including representatives of the Hellenic Presidential Guard, a retiring public servant and business leaders from overseas.