MEMBER for Schubert Stephan Knoll has resigned from his position in Premier Steven Marshall’s cabinet following his role in the state parliament’s country members travel allowance scandal.

The Barossa-based MP came under intense scrutiny last Tuesday when it was revealed he paid back more than $29,000 in taxpayer money he had claimed under parliament’s Country Members Accommodation Allowance scheme.

The controversy also engulfed primary industries minister Tim Whetstone and Narungga MP Fraser Ellis, who combined with Mr Knoll to repay around $70,000.

After days of calls from the opposition to sack the two ministers, Mr Marshall announced on Sunday Mr Knoll and Mr Whetstone, as well as trade minister David Ridgeway had all offered their resignation from cabinet.

Legislative Council president Terry Stephens will also resign from his position when parliament returns in September.

The Premier believed the ministers had undergone no deliberate wrongdoing and that the claims had been made in error.

“I’ve made it clear that it’s been an unacceptable distraction for the government,” he said. We’ve got to be focused 100 per cent on the health and economic issues associated with this coronavirus.

“They (Mr Knoll and Mr Whetstone) recognised how significant the distractions the country MPs travel allowances had become for the government, offered their resignations and these were accepted.

“I genuinely believe there was no deliberate dishonesty from any member of my team, but we now have a review which was underway and this was an unacceptable distraction.”

The $234 per night Country Members Accommodation Allowance is made available to MPs who live more than 75km from the Adelaide General Post Office for when they’re required to stay in Adelaide for official business.

A November 2018 Remuneration Tribunal ruling added a clause which stated MPs most “incur actual expenditure” to claim the allowance; information which led the trio to repay the taxpayer money and seek clarity on the clause.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Knoll said he was resigning “in the best interests of South Australians”.

“I’ve been proud to serve as a minister in this government and proud to have played my part in delivering for all South Australians,” he said.

“I will continue to tirelessly serve and represent the people in my electorate of Schubert.

“I have offered my resignation as minister, in the best interests of South Australians, so the government can focus on our response to the global pandemic and improving the lives of the people of South Australia, which is our priority.”

The Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Bruce Lander, is now investigating all claims made under the allowance scheme in the past 10 years.

MP CAUGHT CRASHING AT MUM AND DAD’S PLACE

FOLLOWING an ABC News investigation into claims Mr Stephens was staying at a Norwood townhouse he owned while claiming the allowance, parliament last Tuesday made publicly
available 10 years’ worth of claim forms submitted by country MPs.

That same day, Mr Knoll, Mr Ellis and Mr Whetstone repaid around $70,000 they had claimed since December 2018, despite denying any wrongdoing.

Later, it was revealed the former transport minister often stayed with his parents at their Walkerville home while in Adelaide for parliamentary and State Government business.

Father Franz Knoll, himself an Adelaide city councillor, confirmed his son had been paying him board to stay in a “private arrangement”.

During a press conference last Wednesday, Mr Knoll refused to answer questions as to what “actual expenditure” he had incurred since November 2018.

“I incur a range of expenses when I come to Adelaide and on that basis I believe I comply with the guidelines and I claim the allowance,” he said.

“But I do accept because of that remuneration tribunal ruling that there is a degree of ambiguity about what can be claimed.

“As a minister of the crown I need to do everything to put this issue beyond doubt and that’s why I’ve repaid every cent since that November determination.”

Later reports also showed he had claimed the allowance while outside the state. Mr Knoll has acknowledged these claims were an error.

Labor leader Peter Malinauskas, following Mr Knoll’s resignation, said the Premier should have sacked the minister’s involved, rather than letting them quit.

“Even after his ministers resigned, Steven Marshall wouldn’t concede they had done anything wrong,” he said.

“Worse still, he wouldn’t rule out welcoming them back into his cabinet. This is a government in chaos – it has lost nearly a quarter of its Cabinet in one day.

“But how can we expect things will improve when the Premier can’t tell us what the problem is?”

BLOW FOR LIBERAL RISING STAR

THE controversy is set to take a toll on Mr Knoll’s Liberal aspirations, as he was seen as a possible future party leader.

After handily holding onto Schubert at the 2018 state election, the relatively young MP – he was 36-years-old at the time – was handed the planning, transport, infrastructure and local government portfolio in Mr Marshall’s first cabinet.

According to a report in The Advertiser earlier this month, Mr Knoll was in with a chance to take over the treasury portfolio after current treasurer Rob Lucas retired at the next state election.

Speaking on ABC Radio on Monday though, Mr Marshall did not rule out the now 38-year-old eventually returning to his cabinet.