Minister challenged on son’s car use

NICK Xenophon says Martin Hamilton-Smith must reimburse Treasury after his son was caught using his taxpayer-funded vehicle.

INDEPENDENT senator Nick Xenophon says South Australia’s Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith must reimburse Treasury after his son was caught using his taxpayer-funded vehicle to run his real estate business.

Christos Raptis was spotted using his father’s taxpayer-funded car, a perk for MPs, as he conducted business for Raptis Real Estate.

In footage broadcast on Tuesday night by the Seven Network’s Today Tonight , the minister’s car appears to be packed with Mr Raptis’s real estate paraphernalia.

Mr Hamilton-Smith, a former Liberal leader who defected to Jay Weatherill’s Labor cabinet last year, said he was away on holidays with his wife at the time and had explicitly told his son not to use the vehicle. “While I was on holiday with my wife and young son, my stepson Christos has phoned me and apologised for his unauthorised use of the car,” he told the program.

“He accepts that his decision to use the car was against my express instructions that the car is not for his use.”

Yesterday, Senator Xenophon said he accepted Mr Hamilton-Smith’s claim of ignorance, but said the Premier should take the matter seriously and ensure taxpayers are reimbursed for the value of the car’s use for private business, in addition to a fine.

“Premier Weatherill … has been absolutely wrong to say that this is a non-issue,” Senator Xenophon said.

“People expect the rules in relation to politicians’ perks to be very tightly controlled.