Deputy Speaker Don Nardella admits to claiming $100k in lucrative ‘second residence’ allowance

UPDATE: TWO senior Labor MPs should quit over their “epic” rorting of parliamentary entitlements, the Opposition say, after it was revealed the Deputy Speaker has claimed $100k in taxpayer cash.

• VICTORIAN SPEAKER FORCED TO REPAY $40K ALLOWANCE
• EDITORIAL: TELMO LANGUILLER MUST STEP DOWN
• STEVE HERBERT PAYS BACK DOG CHAUFFEURING COSTS
• SUSAN LEY BUYS FLAT ON TAXPAYER-FUNDED TRIP
• BRONWYN BISHOP SORRY FOR CHOPPER TO GEELONG

UPDATE: TWO senior Labor MPs should quit over their “epic” rorting of parliamentary entitlements, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says.

Speaker Telmo Languiller and Deputy Speaker Don Nardella have both been caught out this week claiming tens of thousands of dollars to live in the seaside towns of Queenscliff and Ocean Grove despite representing suburban electorates.

Mr Languiller agreed to pay back almost $40,000 but Mr Nardella said he had no plans to give back around $100,000 of taxpayers’ money.

After demanding Mr Languiller hand over documents about his use of the allowance, Mr Guy said his failure to disclose the details meant he should go.

“Andrews Government MPs have been rorting the system to epic proportions,” Mr Guy said.

“Daniel Andrews is presiding over a Labor Party full of unapologetic rorters.”

“It’s time these MPs paid back this money and resigned. If they don’t go, it’s up to Daniel Andrews to sack them.”

Deputy Speaker Don Nardella has admitted to claiming $100k in a lucrative “second residence” MP allowance.

The Herald Sun reported yesterday that another senior Labor MP has been exposed claiming tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer cash for living in the country while representing an outer suburban electorate.

The day after Speaker Telmo Languiller agreed to pay back almost $40,000 for his use of a lucrative “second residence” allowance, his deputy Don Nardella admitted he has claimed about $100,000 under the same scheme.
Mr Nardella told the Herald Sun he had been getting the allowance since April 2014, when he moved to the seaside town of Ocean Grove while holding the seat of Melton 70km away.

But despite Premier Daniel Andrews saying yesterday it was “self-evident” the second residence allowance was for regional members, Mr Nardella said he had no plans to pay money back as Mr Languiller will.

Mr Nardella said his decision to move to Ocean Grove was due to personal circumstances, and “I claim it (the allowance) because that’s where I live and it’s part of the entitlements”.

The second residence allowance is worth $37,678 a year and can be claimed by MPs whose primary residence is 80km or more from Melbourne’s CBD if they maintain a second residence in Melbourne.
Bizarrely, there is no rule about the primary residence having to be in the MP’s seat.

Mr Nardella’s Melbourne residence is in Mordialloc.

The use of the allowance was brought to light this week when Mr Languiller confirmed he had used it while he represented the western suburbs seat of Tarneit.

After it was revealed he had claimed his primary residence was in Queenscliff and his Melbourne residence was in Footscray, Mr Languiller said he would pay back the money because claiming it had been an “error of judgment that does not meet community expectations”.

A parliamentary probe has now been ordered to check if the Speaker was actually using Queenscliff as his primary residence.

Embattled speaker Telmo Languiller will be in the chair for Question Time. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Mr Nardella, who as deputy speaker earns almost $180,000 a year plus an expense allowance of almost $15,000, said he had a second residence in Mordialloc he used during sitting weeks, but “Ocean Grove is where I live”.

“I’m out there representing my community every day and that’s the thing that’s important to me and my constituents, and where I sleep at night, that’s not the issue they discuss, they discuss issues like schools and public transport and health services,” he said.

Mr Nardella’s position is at odds with Premier Daniel Andrews, who said yesterday when asked about Mr Languiller’s entitlements saga that “it is self-evident that it is an allowance for regional members”.

“It’s an allowance for regional members and he (Mr Languiller) has made it very clear it doesn’t meet community expectations,” Mr Andrews said.

But Opposition Leader Matthew Guy warned yesterday that Mr Languiller would lose his confidence if documents weren’t produced proving he was living in Queenscliff.
“I want to see all those details. If not, we will withdraw our support for the Speaker,” he said.

Mr Guy said that would result in chaos in parliament.

Mr Nardella revealed he had been claiming the second residence allowance after the Herald Sun asked all MPs to disclose whether they had used that entitlement.

Several other Labor and Coalition MPs also declared they are using the allowance, but all said they had properties in their electorates that are 80km or more from Melbourne’s CBD.

Even the furthest edge of Mr Nardella’s seat of Melton, which takes in outer west metropolitan suburbs, is only about 70km from Melbourne’s CBD.

Mr Nardella said he would not comment on how similar his situation was to the Speaker’s.

When asked whether claiming the allowance would meet community expectations, Mr Nardella said: “Well, that’s where I live”.

[e-mail]