Geoff Shaw ordered to repay extra $6838 over misusing taxpayer-funded car and fuel card

UPDATE: ROGUE Frankston MP Geoff Shaw will be ordered to repay an extra $6838 after a powerful parliamentary committee probe.

Frankston MP Geoff Shaw.

ROGUE Frankston MP Geoff Shaw will be ordered to repay an extra $6838 to Parliament after a powerful parliamentary committee probe.

As the results of the 19-month investigation were released this morning, Mr Shaw revealed he had phoned police today and requested they investigate allegations that members of the Legislative Assembly privileges committee had leaked internal information to the media.

The committee was investigating Mr Shaw over Ombudsman findings that he misused his taxpayer-funded car and fuel card.

In the report, the committee stopped short of recommending Mr Shaw be censured, which could have led to a suspension from Parliament.

Instead it recommended Mr Shaw repay Parliament a figure based on the running costs of his parliamentary car.

The committee found Mr Shaw contravened the MP code of conduct but it said it was unable to say that Mr Shaw “was wilful in contravening the code of conduct”.

“Therefore Mr Shaw is not in contempt of Parliament.”

The findings by the government-dominated committee differed from legal advice it received from Lander and Rogers in April, which said that “a wilful contravention” of the Act “could be found in circumstances where a Member of Parliament did not intentionally or deliberately seek to breach” the laws pertaining to MPs but “showed a reckless carelessness or indifference to their obligations” under the act.

A minority report from the Labor members on the committee pointed out the legal advice and said Mr Shaw was wilful in contravening the act and was therefore in contempt of Parliament.

The Labor members said he had been “completely reckless, careless and indifferent to obligations that all other Members of Parliament understand, follow and fulfil”.

Mr Shaw said the committee had “done a criminal act”.

“I am disgraced that the Treasurer, the Minister for Ports, the Minister for Water and the Attorney-General can sit on a committee that has leaked so much, they lie on stat decs.

“If I was on such a corrupt committee and I wasn’t part of the corruption I would drop out.”

Mr Shaw said the investigation “should’ve been over a long time ago” and said it had been a waste of taxpayer-money.

“I don’t agree with what their findings are.

“I have said from the start I will accept responsibility and the buck stops with me.”

The balance of power MP said he would “keep his word” and still vote for the Government’s budget.

The committee report found the use of a parliamentary vehicle was not a special right or immunity which belongs to members of Parliament and therefore Mr Shaw’s actions could not be treated as a breach of privilege.

It found Mr Shaw should repay Parliament $8088.44, based on the total cost to the taxpayer of owning, operating, registering, servicing and insuring Mr Shaw’s vehicle, which was calculated at 71 cents per kilometre.

The running cost was multiplied by the 9050km the committee said the vehicle had travelled for commercial purposes and an extra 25 per cent loading was added, which is a rule applied to federal MPs.

Mr Shaw had already repaid $1250 and has been left with an outstanding bill for an extra $6838.

The actions of the independent MP, who quit the Parliamentary Liberal Party last year, were referred to the privileges committee after Ombudsman George Brouwer found Mr Shaw had used his parliamentary vehicle for commercial purposes and had given it to employees of his hardware store for business trips, including interstate travel.

The Privileges Committee said it was “unable to verify the findings of the Ombudsman” and laws impeded the committee in accessing the evidence Mr Brouwer had used.

“This put the committee in the position of having to weigh the Ombudsman’s findings against the evidence received from Mr Shaw directly,” the report said.

“This made the committee’s job very difficult and delayed the investigation as the committee tried various avenues to access the primary evidence.”

The investigation took 19 months to complete and was suspended between October and December last year while the matters were before the court.

In his submission to the committee Mr Shaw said he believed it lacked credibility and had “reached a conclusion, without affording me natural justice”.

“The committee has, in effect, established itself as a ‘kangaroo court’, and is carrying out the role of judge, jury and executioner,” Mr Shaw said.

“The conduct of the committee, in a matter not so serious, could be viewed as farcical.”

He said he did not know the parliamentary vehicle was being used for commercial purposes and did not give permission for such use.