Stuart Robert declines to provide paper proof for $1600 tab

Stuart Robert has refused to produce any evidence to support his charging taxpayers more than $1600 for his goldmine visit.

Sacked federal minister Stuart Robert has refused to produce any documentary evidence to support his justifications for charging taxpayers more than $1600 to visit the site of a goldmining company in which he had bought shares for himself and his family.

The opposition wants the member for the Gold Coast seat of Fadden investigated by the ­Australian Federal Police over the trip to the $200 million Mt Carlton mine, west of Townsville.

After his all-day trip was ­revealed by The Australian on Tuesday, Mr Robert declared to the Department of Finance that he travelled to Townsville on April 10, 2013, then took a helicopter ­charter to the mine of Evolution Mining, a company in which his friend and Liberal National Party donor Paul Marks was a director and large shareholder, because he wanted to try to use the official opening to talk to then premier Campbell Newman about a ­defence matter.

Mr Robert, who went with the then LNP president Bruce McIver, an investor in another company associated with Mr Marks, also said it was appropriate for a federal parliamentarian to be at the mine in an official capacity.

The explanations, however, are contradicted by senior sources and official documents, obtained by The Australian, which indicate that Mr Robert went to the mine in a private capacity. He had bought shares in Evolution Mining in early 2012. He billed the taxpayers for the flights, Comcar limousine use and a travelling allowance.

After the opposition’s call for an AFP investigation into this travel and another “unofficial” trip he took to China with Mr Marks for a mining company-related meeting, Mr Robert told the ­Department of Finance he would repay the funds for the north Queensland visit.

“There appears to be a pattern of behaviour here in using his public office to benefit both himself and wealthy Liberal donor, Paul Marks,” said opposition legal ­affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus.

Mr Dreyfus said the behaviour “clearly warrants an investigation by the AFP”.

Mr Robert was asked by The Australian if there was any evidence to support his statement about his proposed talks with Mr Newman at Mt Carlton. Mr Robert was asked if there were emails prior to or following the trip. He declined to provide any documents. His spokesman said: “Mr Robert travelled to Townsville to participate in a portfolio meeting in the morning and also to meet with the then premier to discuss ‘Defence QLD’.

“Mr Robert had raised ­‘Defence QLD’ with the premier many times previously, leading him to establish the defence envoy. Mr Robert was seeking ­further support from the then premier.”

Mr Robert told the Gold Coast Bulletin he “wouldn’t have even thought of” his ownership of Evolution Mining shares when he went there. “What I really wanted to do was get time with the premier. I was focused on chatting with the premier,’’ he said.