LNP charges Brisbane ratepayers thousands on cab fares

The cab fares Brisbane’s civic cabinet charged to ratepayers in the past financial year have been revealed — and one councillor has a higher bill than all the others combined.

The total cab far bill for Brisbane City Council’s civic cabinet in 2018/19 to June 11 was $3911.50. Picture: Annette Dew

A COUNCILLOR has billed ratepayers nearly $2000 in cab fares in the past financial year despite her former official role being simply to chair council meetings.

Cr Angela Owen, the former council chair, charged ratepayers $1968.18 worth of cab fares in the 2018/19 financial year up to June 11, according to a question on notice.

Her bill was more than all other councillors who held a civic cabinet position in the past year combined, at $1943.

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Cr Owen said it was due the number of times she represented the Lord Mayor events and how far away she lived from the CBD.

The next highest bill was deputy mayor Cr Krista Adams with $1185.61, then Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner with $400.67, Cr Peter Matic with $155.21, Cr David McLachlan with $127.69, Cr Matthew Bourke with $66.68 and Cr Fiona Hammond with $7.46.

Cr Hammond was appointed to the civic cabinet as Environment, Parks and Sustainability chair in April, replacing former environment boss Cr McLachlan.

Cr Angela Owen was the chair of council, until April this year and had a total cab fare bill of $1968.16. Picture: Peter Cronin

Labor deputy leader Jared Cassidy said the total $3911 bill beggared belief as all councillors were well paid and received a fully maintained car.

“It’s particularly galling that Cr Owen would charge ratepayers almost $2000 to ride for free in taxis all around Brisbane when her jurisdiction as council chair didn’t even extend beyond the tea room in City Hall,” he said.

“There’s no reason councillors should be dipping into the pockets of ratepayers for free cabs. They should repay the money and get off the gravy train.”

A council spokeswoman said all travel by the Lord Mayor and chairs in cabs “was done in accordance with Brisbane City Council policy”.

“Only the Lord Mayor and chairs are eligible to claim cab charges,” she said.

Cr Owen said a single trip from her home in Brisbane’s southside into the city was about $100 and her cab rides cost more than other councillors’ who lived closer to the CBD.

“Many of those events finish late at night and I start very early in the mornings and when you’re trying to come home very late at night it’s a matter of safety,” she said.

“The last thing I want to do is fall asleep at the wheel.”

Cr Jared Cassidy says LNP council chairs should pay back the cab fares. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

She said where it was reasonable for her to drive, she drove and also rejected the argument her bill should be lower because she did not have a citywide portfolio.

“The amount of multicultural events that I attend across the city, given my connections with many multicultural communities going back 20 years, (means) I’ve attended functions across the city,” she said.

“I’ve also done a significant number of Lord Mayoral representations.”

Cr Adams, who had the second highest total of cab charge fares, said the amount surprised her but it equated to about 30 trips to her home.

“Which is well and truly nowhere near the events where I’ve actually represented the Lord Mayor … the reality is that I do the most representation of the Lord Mayor of all of the councillors within the chamber,” she said.

She said her responsibilities, which included economic development, tourism and international affairs, meant she attended many out-of-hours events in her own portfolio.

“I am happy to show you my go card as well because I will — nine times out of ten — catch the bus to wherever I’m going if I can, but usually if I’m in black tie and it’s late at night I’ll use a cab to get home,” she said.

“On Friday night I caught two buses in and I caught a cab home.”

Cr Krista Adams’ cab fare bill was $1185. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Walker