Taxpayers charged $25,000 for Liberal polling of Black electorate in lead-up to by-election

Taxpayers were charged for Liberal polling in the lead-up to the Black by-election, in what the government has slammed as “an outrageous abuse of public money”.

Taxpayers were charged more than $25,000 for Liberal polling in the lead-up to the Black by-election, in what the government has slammed as “an outrageous abuse of public money”.

But a political row has erupted after the opposition said the invoice was only submitted because the government deemed the expenditure acceptable – a claim the government has since refuted.

The polling, conducted by Sydney-based firm Freshwater Partners, was paid for out of the Global Allowance of former Liberal leader David Speirs.

Global Allowance is an entitlement provided to support MPs in parliamentary duties, and cannot be used for election expenses.

An invoice for the $25,905 payment to Freshwater described the expenditure as “community research – Black”.

It was authorised on October 11, four days before Mr Speirs formally submitted his resignation and in doing so triggered the Black by-election.

City of Holdfast mayor Amanda Wilson, the new Liberal candidate for seat of Black, pictured with Liberal Leader Vincent Tarzia at the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The Advertiser reported on October 10 that the Liberals had conducted polling to “road-test” two local councillors, including their eventual candidate, Amanda Wilson.

But the Liberals said the “community research” was separate to that polling. Instead, the research gauged the views of locals on issues such as the Hallett Cove Sea Pool, Proclaiming the Field River Valley a conservation park, and the Majors Road interchange project.

Global Allowance guidelines state it is ultimately the responsibility of the Member to determine whether expenditure is in support of their role as a MP, and therefore a justifiable expense, or in support of a political purpose – which is not allowed.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the spending appeared to be “an outrageous abuse of taxpayers’ money by the Liberal Party”.

“Why would an MP who has just announced his resignation from the parliament, need to spend $25,000 of taxpayers’ money on polling?

“If there is a reasonable explanation, Vincent Tarzia must provide it. He needs to explain what role he, his office and the Liberal Party played in slugging taxpayers for this internal polling.”

Mr Mullighan accused the Liberals of having “concocted this scheme to avoid having to pay for the internal polling themselves”, and called on them to repay the money.

But Opposition Leader Mr Tarzia said Mr Mullighan’s own department had advised the expense was acceptable – “and the invoice was submitted on that basis”.

“We won’t be lectured by a government that has wasted $100m on taxpayer funded advertising,” he said.

“This is a treasurer who personally signed off on $1500 for teddy bears for one of their MPs.

“This government is desperate to distract from its ever growing list of failures, from major projects such as the proton therapy unit, delivering the worst ramping our health system has ever seen and leaving South Australians to languish in a cost of living crisis.”

A government spokesman refuted the claim that department approval had been granted for the expenditure.

“There are no records of any approval given and the guidelines for Global Allowance clearly state that expenditure on election activities is not allowed,” he said.