Jess Liddy, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Narungga MP Fraser Ellis was found guilty on four charges of deceit in the Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday (Monday, July 1).

Mr Ellis faced 23 charges of deception in relation to improperly claiming the Country Members Accommodation Allowance from April 2018 to June 2020.

While Magistrate Simon Smart found Mr Ellis guilty of falsely claiming about $2800, he was found not guilty on the remaining 19 counts.

MR Ellis now has 21 days to appeal the decision before sentencing submissions, which could be detrimental to whether he keeps his job in parliament.

Magistrate Smart said many of the alleged frauds were innocent, explainable errors of memory or accounting, but four were “dishonest” and “deliberate falsehoods”.

Outside of court, Mr Ellis said he was surprised by the verdict.

“I did not expect the outcome,” Mr Ellis said.

“Having sat through that trial, I showed up today (Monday) and hoped to be fully acquitted.

“I need a chance to talk to my legal team, understand the judgement and to just dissect the reasoning behind the magistrate’s decision so I can make an informed decision about whether I appeal, and what the next steps are.”

Mr Ellis stressed he remained proud of all his work in the Narungga electorate during the past six years.

“(The verdict) doesn’t change that,” he said.

“I’m proud to stand up for my record in Narungga.

“I will keep doing that for as long as I’m permitted by the community and allowed to.

“I intend to continue to serve until I’m told otherwise.”

The 23 counts related to 78 claims totalling $18,000.

The CMAA is available to MPs whose usual place of residence is more than 75 kilometres from Adelaide, and who are required to stay in Adelaide overnight to attend to parliamentary or other relevant duties.

It was alleged Mr Ellis claimed the allowance for nights he did not spend in Adelaide, and he was unaware of a rule change in November 2018, whereby politicians had to incur actual expenditure to receive the payment.

Mr Ellis voluntarily repaid $42,130 in claims, stating some may have been made in error, before the investigation by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption was announced in 2020.

The court will hear sentencing submissions on September 4.

Related stories: Ellis trial begins
This article appeared in the  Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 2 July 2024.