A group of six politicians ejected from the parliament by the High Court last year will be allowed to keep the salaries, travel allowances and superannuation they were paid while legally ineligible to sit in parliament.
The decision comes after a special public service committee recommended the six current and former politicians be cleared of all debts because they “performed their duties in good faith”.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann announced he had “agreed to waive the debts” of five politicians who were found to breach Section 44 of the Constitution for holding a dual citizenship: Barnaby Joyce, Scott Ludlam, Larissa Waters, Fiona Nash and Malcolm Roberts.
Minister for Finance Senator Mathias Cormann has agreed to waive the debt. Source: AAP
Also among the politicians spared is former One Nation senator Rod Culleton, who was ejected by the High Court over bankruptcy issues.
“The departmental advisory committee determined that all parliamentarians performed their duties in good faith for a proper purpose and that it was difficult for individuals at the time of nomination to know that they were ineligible for nomination,” Senator Cormann wrote, announcing the decision.
“Based on the recommendation of the committee, I have agreed to waive the debts.”
“These debts include salaries, superannuation and electorate allowances, as well as non-salary expenses, such as, staff expenses, office expenses and travel expenses.”
The six cases all relate to court decisions last year.
It is not yet clear if the same decision will apply to subsequent dual-citizenship ejections, including former Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie, former Coalition senator Stephen Parry and former Nick Xenophon Team senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore.
The committee that made the recommendation to waive the debt included members from the departments of Finance and the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, the government said.
