SA Treasurer Rob Lucas accused of booze ban ‘backflip’

The State Treasurer once declared he would put an end to MPs charging taxpayers for boozy expenses. Now a leaked list of exemptions has him accused of an alcohol about-face.

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It was the booze ban aimed at stopping State Government ministers from enjoying too many beers or vinos on the taxpayer dime.

But Treasurer Rob Lucas has now been accused of a “booze ban backflip” after the Opposition discovered a raft of exemptions that give ministers and their staff the opportunity to purchase grog using public money.

Labor deputy leader Susan Close described the list as a clear example of a broken election promise. But Mr Lucas said the exemptions were in line with his pre-election commitment aimed at stamping out excessive booze bills for what he described as Labor’s mates, guests and staffers.

In the lead up to the March 2018 state election, Mr Lucas announced “ministers spending taxpayers’ money on alcohol for themselves, their staff, public servants and guests will end under a Marshall Liberal Government”.

But the Treasurer’s instructions, which appear to have been signed off on less than 10 months later in January this year, show there is a raft of ways taxpayers can foot the bill for ministers’ booze.

The list was leaked to the Opposition this week. Ms Close said Mr Lucas made “a big song and dance” about the ministerial booze ban before the election. “Now he’s attempted to quietly scrap the booze ban after the election, hoping nobody would notice,” she said. “Rob Lucas has previously described expenditure on alcohol as ‘obscene’, now he says it’s fine. Why the backflip?”

Mr Lucas told The Advertiser today he always expected any sensible policy would provide for exemptions.

He pointed to visits by ambassadors or ministers from other states and territories as perfect times when it was appropriate for alcohol to be paid for by taxpayers.

“You can’t expect the minister for energy to fund a modest glass of wine for all of the other ministers,” Mr Lucas said.

He said the rules were instigated to stop ministers from “spending alcohol on themselves, journalists, staff members and friends, and guests being passed off as important people”. Mr Lucas said publicly available expense accounts showed minsters had not abused the exemptions.