Besieged former deputy speaker Don Nardella should leave parliament altogether if he will not repay more than $100,000 he claimed for living in a seaside residence, a Labor MP says.
Labor’s Anthony Carbines called for Mr Nardella to quit after he was booted from the parliamentary Labor Party for his claiming of allowances.
The deputy speaker and Melton MP has been kicked out of caucus after refusing to repay more than $100,000 he claimed to maintain his beachside home.
Police Minister Lisa Neville also backed that call.
“I know he’s having conversations with the Labor Party as well. I think he needs to consider his own position,” she told reporters.
On Twitter, Mr Carbines said the Melton MP and former deputy speaker had “forfeited his right to public office”.
“He must repay taxpayers or resign,” he said.
@BrendanDonohoe7 The Member for Melton has forfeited his right to public office. He must repay taxpayers of resign.
— Anthony Carbines MP (@ACarbinesMP) March 7, 2017
If Mr Nardella quit parliament there would need to be a by-election in his seat of Melton.
Mr Nardella has refused to repay the $113,000 he claimed in the second residence allowance, which is designed to compensate country MPs who must travel to Melbourne for work.
Don Nardella on the crossbench on Tuesday. Photo: Joe Armao
But questions have also emerged about Mr Nardella’s primary residence in Ocean Grove with the opposition suggesting the address may be a caravan park.
Ocean Grove is more than 80 kilometres from Mr Nardella’s electorate.
When asked to comment on resigning from the Labor caucus, Mr Nardella said “f— off” and “go away” on Tuesday.
He has previously denied wrongdoing and said his allowance claims were legitimate.
Mr Nardella’s refusal to repay the money or apologise comes after former speaker Telmo Languiller admitted claiming almost $40,000 for a residence in Queenscliff despite representing the electorate of Tarneit in the western suburbs.
Mr Languiller has apologised, saying that claiming the allowance failed community expectations, and promised to repay the money.
On Tuesday Mr Nardella moved to the crossbench.
However, he told reporters on Wednesday he would vote with the government although he is now an independent.
By Benjamin Priess, The Age
