By Raquel Mustillo
LIMESTONE Coast MPs Troy Bell and Nick McBride have been forced to repay taxpayers’ money they wrongly claimed under the Country Members Accommodation Allowance, Premier Steven Marshall has revealed.
Under questioning in parliament on Wednesday, Mr Marshall said Mr McBride was one of a number of Liberal MPs who have paid back funds they claimed under the allowance.
The state leader said Mr Bell was making a “series of payments, paying back amounts” relating to several different time periods.
The allowance is a $234-per-night allowance paid to MPs who live more than 75km from Adelaide to cover accommodation costs while staying in the city.
Last year, former Primary Industries and Regional Development Minsister Tim Whetstone, ex-Transport Minister Stephan Knoll and backbencher Fraser Ellis were forced to repay more than $70,000 claimed in accommodation allowances.
While Mr Bell was unable to comment, Mr McBride said during an audit of claims, he found he was overpaid an amount of $225 for one night of accommodation claimed in April 2018.
He said the mistake occurred after he recorded dates over a period of two months on one form, which was transcribed into separate months by the Clerk’s office.
“I was allocate an additional day in error… I did not pick up this error when I resigned the claim form,” Mr McBride said.
“I am sorry that this error occurred in claiming the allowance, I seek to be diligent in ensuring I operate within the rules of parliament.”
In 2018/19, Mr McBride claimed $20,010 on nights away, but did not claim any nights in 2019/20.
“I did not make any claims for country members allowance in 2019/20 as I increasingly felt that there was inadequate guidance available in relation to interpretation of the rules for Country Members Accommodation Claims,” Mr McBride said.
“The September 2020 Determination of the Renumeration Tribunal Accommodation and Reimbursement and Allowance for Country Members of parliament I believe gives much more clarity in relation to the type of claims that could be made by country members in regard to overnight stays in Adelaide.”
“I have made claims in the 2020/2021 financial year.”
The State Government came under siege on the entitlements issue, with several Liberal MPs conceding they had made “administrative errors” in claiming the allowance.
The state’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption launched an investigation into all claims over the past 10 years, with commissioner Ann Vanstone announcing in October 2020 Mr McBride was among nine MPs who will not be subject to further inquiry or investigation.
Ms Vanstone said her investigation of claims made by several members was continuing, adding “no conclusion ought to be drawn in respect of the conduct of persons who I have not named today”.
She said she would provide a further update “when it is appropriate to do so”.
Last year, former Primary Industries and Regional Development Minsister Tim Whetstone, ex-Transport Minister Stephan Knoll and backbencher Fraser Ellis were forced to repay more than $70,000 claimed in accommodation allowances.
