Taxpayers billed $2000 by the Liberal Party to conduct robocalls to voters in Black

Taxpayers were billed by the Liberal Party to conduct robocalls to voters in the seat of Black in the lead-up to this weekend’s by-election, it’s been revealed.

Taxpayers were billed $2000 by the Liberal Party to conduct robocalls to voters in the seat of Black in the lead-up to this weekend’s by-election.

It follows revelations over the weekend that more than $25,000 in public funds has been used for Liberal polling in the seat.

The government has lashed the opposition over the spending, which was paid out of the global allowance of former Liberal leader David Speirs.

Global allowance is an entitlement provided to support MPs in parliamentary duties, and cannot be used for election expenses.

An invoice released by the government on Monday showed Mr Speirs signed off on a payment of $2,001.51 to the Liberal Party of Australia for an “Integrated Voice Response Community Survey”.

It showed that the survey was conducted on October 9 – four days after Mr Speirs announced he would quit parliament after being charged with drug supply offences.

A separate $25,000 in “community research” polling, revealed by the government on Sunday, was also authorised by Mr Speirs in the days after he announced his resignation.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan. Picture Dean Martin

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Global allowance guidelines state it is the responsibility of the MP to determine whether expenditure is in support of their role, and therefore a justifiable expense, or in support of a political purpose – which is not allowed.

Saturday’s Black by-election, triggered by the resignation of Mr Speirs last month, will be contested by Amanda Wilson for the Liberals and Alex Dighton for Labor.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the Liberal Party “seems to have no problem racking up huge expenses on the taxpayer credit card in the lead up to an election”.

City of Holdfast mayor Amanda Wilson, the Liberal candidate for seat of Black with Liberal Leader Vincent Tarzia at the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“Not content with billing taxpayers $25,000 for party polling, the Liberals have actually taken the unprecedented step of issuing its own invoice to taxpayers for $2000 robocalls,” he said.

“This is an outrageous use of taxpayers’ money by the Liberals, who have clearly concocted a scheme to avoid paying for these political costs themselves.

“The Liberals must pay this money back to the people of South Australia.”

On Sunday, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said “we won’t be lectured by a government that has wasted $100m on taxpayer funded advertising”.

“This is a treasurer who personally signed off on $1500 for teddy bears for one of their MPs,” he said.

“This government is desperate to distract from its ever growing list of failures, from major projects such as the proton therapy unit, delivering the worst ramping our health system has ever seen and leaving South Australians to languish in a cost of living crisis.”

Originally published as Taxpayers billed $2000 by the Liberal Party to conduct robocalls to voters in Black