Audit of allowance claims by Vic MPs

Victoria's ex-deputy speaker Don Nardella told parliamentary auditors his inner city apartment was not spacious enough, so he moved to a seaside caravan park.

WHAT PROMPTED THE AUDIT

* Former speaker Telmo Languiller and his former deputy Don Nardella were caught claiming the allowance in February

* Both said they lived on the Bellarine Peninsula, despite representing electorates in outer Melbourne suburbs

WHAT IS THE SECOND RESIDENCE ALLOWANCE

* It's designed to help country MPs based more than 80km from Melbourne maintain a second home in the city for when parliament sits

WHAT WAS AUDITED

* The claims by Mr Nardella and Mr Languiller

* The current processes to claim the allowances and what improvements can be made

NARDELLA'S AUDIT

Total claim: $174,836

* Claimed the allowance between March 2010 and April 2014 for a home he shared with a partner in Ballarat. Claim totalled $76,582

* Continued to claim the allowance from April 2014 to February 2017 after break up, saying he lives in Ocean Grove. Claim totalled $98,254

* Told auditors he lived in a caravan park because a St Kilda apartment he owned at the time "was not spacious enough"

* Rented a place at the caravan park for $200 a fortnight off family, did not pay bills, did not provide auditors with tax returns

* Deemed by auditors "arguable opportunistic...to ensure continued enjoyment of the second residence allowance"

LANGUILLER'S AUDIT

Total claim: $37,834

* Claimed the allowance from November 2015 to February 2017 for a home in Queenscliff

* Audit found he intended to live at Queenscliff and changed driver licence and electoral roll details

* Family circumstance meant he spent most of his time in Melbourne

* Repaid the allowance in full in March

WEAKNESS FOUND IN THE CURRENT PROCESS

* There's a lack of definition of what constitutes a principal place of residence

* No documentation is kept by clerks to confirm claim validity

* No documentation required to prove notification of a home base

RECOMMENDATIONS

* Second residence allowance be based on electorate location, not MP's home location

* Get rid of all allowances and replace them with a reimbursement scheme


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Source: AAP



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