MP Fraser Ellis appears in court for the first time on deception charges

Former Liberal MP Fraser Ellis has appeared in court for the first time, charge with rorting a parliamentary travel allowance.

Yorke Peninsula MP Fraser Ellis has appeared in court for the first time to face charges for allegedly rorting a parliamentary allowance.

Ellis appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he was placed on a $1000 bail agreement.

During the brief hearing, Anthony Allen SC, for Ellis said he had received “substantial disclosure” about the case from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

He asked the court adjourn the matter to a pre-trial conference for negotiations with prosecutors. The request was granted.

Outside court, Ellis, said he would be pleading not guilty and was looking forward to clearing his name.

“Innocent until proven guilty and I am certainly intending to clear my name in the fullness of time,” he said.

Ellis will return to court in May.

Question Time

The member for Narungga stood up in parliament in the early hours of February 19 and announced he had been charged with deception.

Later that day, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ann Vanstone QC released a statement alleging Ellis had made 78 fraudulent claims for the Country Members Accommodation Allowance, totalling more than $18,000.

“The Country Members Accommodation Allowance is available to Members of Parliament whose usual place of residence is more than 75km from Adelaide, and who are required to stay in Adelaide overnight to attend to parliamentary or other relevant duties,” she said in the statement.

“It will be alleged that Mr Ellis claimed the allowance for nights he did not spend in Adelaide.”

It is alleged Ellis, who has resigned from the Liberal Party, made the claims between May 13 and June 12, 202.