Don Randall, who watched AFL on taxpayer-funded trip, defends entitlements use

Updated

Federal Liberal MP Don Randall, caught up in a parliamentary entitlements row, has revealed he attended an AFL game in Melbourne with his wife on another taxpayer-funded trip.

Mr Randall has also confirmed that he employed his daughter as an executive assistant in his office, calling it a "convenience" as he couldn't find anyone suitable for the position.

Last week it was revealed Mr Randall, who represents the WA electorate of Canning, had spent more than $5,000 on a separate trip to Cairns with his wife last year for what he said was "electorate business".

Not long after the trip he disclosed that he had taken possession of an investment property in Cairns.

Mr Randall has finally broken his silence on the issue, speaking to two newspapers.

He insists he has done nothing wrong, although he has promised to repay the money for the Cairns trip.

He told the West Australian newspaper that he went to Cairns in his capacity as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government to speak to the Opposition Whip Warren Entsch about "a whole range of issues", including council amalgamations.

He said the meeting lasted for "a couple of hours".

He told the paper he visited his investment property in Cairns but denied that was the purpose of his trip.

He says he paid the money back because he could not get a definitive answer about the entitlements from the Department of Finance.

The Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Mr Randall's explanation is not good enough.

However, Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has suggested that it is not practical for MPs to give more detailed explanations for travel claims.

And he turned the question back on the Opposition, saying: "Do you think the government should be asking members of the current opposition to detail the meetings they're having with whom and what about before a judgment is made on whether a particular meeting falls within or outside the official business?"

AFL trip was 'within entitlements'

You might want to check the front bar of the Hilton Hotel [in Melbourne] on grand final day to see how many members of all parties are there. Don Randall

Mr Randall has also been questioned about a trip to Melbourne with his wife last September, where he attended a West Coast Eagles AFL game.

Mr Randall claimed more than $5000 in entitlements and justified the trip as "sittings of parliament".

He said he stopped off in Melbourne on his way to Canberra while his wife flew home to Perth.

He told the West Australian that MPs from remote parts of the country are allowed a stop off in a capital city of their choice, and the travel was within entitlement.

"Just to illustrate that, you might want to check the front bar of the Hilton Hotel [in Melbourne] on grand final day to see how many members of all parties are there," he said.

Randall defends having daughter on the payroll

Mr Randall has also confirmed his daughter has been employed as an executive assistant in his office.

The veteran MP say she was in the role for "convenience" because he could not find anyone suitable.

He says she will leave the position soon.

Mr Randall says he has never fallen foul of over-spending, but acknowledged the controversy surrounding MP entitlements could lead to an overhaul of the system.

He is one of a number of MPs, including Prime Minster Tony Abbott, who have recently paid back entitlement claims, including allowances used to attend the weddings of colleagues.

Mr Randall said he had been avoiding the media because reporters were looking for a "gotcha moment".

Topics: federal-government, liberals, government-and-politics, armadale-6112, perth-6000, wa, cairns-4870, bunbury-6230, pinjarra-6208, australia

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