Travel expenses: Don Randall to repay Cairns claim

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/18/don-randall-repay-cairns-travel-expenses

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The Liberal MP Don Randall will repay more than $5,000 claimed in taxpayer-funded expenses for a trip to Cairns that came a week before he declared he had bought an investment property in the area.

In November 2012 the Western Australian MP and a family member travelled from Perth to Cairns, stayed overnight and headed back the next day.

Randall recorded the travel as for "electorate business", according to Department of Finance records.

A week later he updated his register of interests to state: "My wife and I have taken possession of the house at the Cairns location. We intend to rent the house as an investment."

When the claim came to light earlier this week, Randall said he had acted within entitlements and the department had signed off on the expense claim.

But on Thursday he sought urgent advice from the department about the claim "due to the ongoing media scrutiny and public interest".

"The department informed me that it cannot provide definitive advice," Randall said in a statement.

"Therefore, I will immediately issue a payment to the department to reimburse the entire costs incurred for that visit to ensure the right thing is done by the taxpayer and alleviate any ambiguity.

"I've always acted in good faith when submitting claims and, after an extensive review of all my expenses, I'm satisfied that those claims meet the guidelines."

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