EXCLUSIVE: Calls for two Labor MLAs – including a Minister – to repay thousands of dollars they charged taxpayers for personal holidays interstate have intensified, while the independent body that determines politicians’ benefits will meet to discuss the issue on Wednesday, the NT Independent can reveal.

Questions continue to linger over how precisely Attorney General Chansey Paech and Deputy Speaker Dheran Young were able to charge taxpayers a combined $3,400 for personal interstate holidays on their government fuel cards, while official rules around entitlements for other public servants and judges specifically state they are required to pay for their own fuel while interstate in government vehicles.

The NT Independent revealed last week that Labor Speaker Mark Monaghan secretly altered the rules around politicians’ entitlements to permit Mr Paech and Mr Young to use their government fuel cards for personal holidays interstate over the Christmas holidays without making the change public.

It remains unclear if the “determination” is valid or an overstep of powers, which the NT Independent understands will be discussed at a meeting of the independent Remuneration Tribunal this week.

The official determination for MLAs’ salaries and entitlements – as handed down by the Tribunal – does not state that the fuel cards can be used for personal travel interstate.

Despite claims by NT Parliament Clerk Mathew Bates that Mr Monaghan’s ruling was a “clarification” of the entitlement, there is no record that such an entitlement exists.

Questions have also been raised over whether the expenditure charged by the Labor MLAs was for only fuel or other items, which would also violate the current rules around the use of government fuel cards.

Meanwhile, other public servants, including those on executive government contracts and judges, are required to pay for their own fuel while interstate, according to rules governing their pay.

“Running costs (i.e. fuel and oil) for use outside of the Northern Territory, during periods of paid or unpaid leave, shall be met by the Executive Contract Officer,” states the Public Sector Employment and Management Act.

The Remuneration Tribunal Determination 2022 for local judges also forbids the use of government fuel cards while interstate, stating that the judges can use the vehicle for their own purposes, including “while on leave in the Territory or elsewhere in Australia if he or she pays for all the fuel used in driving the motor vehicle and all the other costs of running and maintaining the motor vehicle while on leave outside the Territory”.

Calls for taxpayers to be reimbursed, Labor once called for investigation into fuel card usage

Independent Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley said it was clear other public servants cannot use government fuel cards for interstate travel and called on Mr Paech and Mr Young to pay back the more than $3,400 they claimed during their interstate holidays.

“Paech and Young must pay back the fuel they charged to taxpayers for their Christmas holidays,” she said. “All Members of Parliament can afford to pay for their own holiday fuel expenses, particularly Ministers on almost $300k per year.”

Ms Lambley also said she had never heard of a Speaker of the Legislative Assembly making determinations on entitlements that don’t exist, which is typically done by the independent remuneration body.

“The Remuneration Tribunal Determination, that determines the entitlements for Members of Parliament, makes no mention of this ‘supposed’ entitlement,” she said.

“After 13 years in the job, I was not even aware that the Speaker can determine the entitlements of members. My understanding has always been that this is the explicit role of the Remuneration Tribunal.”

Questions to Remuneration Tribunal chair Michael Martin were not answered yesterday, but a spokesman said the matter was to be discussed at Wednesday’s meeting of the Tribunal.

According to quarterly fuel transaction reports tabled in Parliament, Mr Young charged $2,600 to drive to his hometown of Wooloweyah in NSW over the Christmas period, while making a leisurely stop in Noosa on the way back.

Mr Young’s “fuel” expenses appeared inflated with a few transactions that raised questions that went unanswered.

Mr Paech charged taxpayers $828 for a trip to Adelaide from Alice Springs at the end of December that included a stop in SA wine country, just days after Mr Monaghan’s amendments to the remuneration rules.

Both politicians refused to respond to questions, including how their fuel costs could be so high.

Mr Monaghan also did not respond to questions.

In 2013, the then-Labor opposition called for an Auditor General investigation into then-CLP member Larisa Lee charging taxpayers $17,000 on her government fuel card.

They also called for her to stand down while the investigation was carried out.

“There are very clear rules around how the taxpayer vehicle and fuel card should be used by a parliamentarian,” Michael Gunner said at the time.

“It is clear from the documentation that very serious questions have been raised.”

The Opposition CLP refused to comment on the latest matter involving Labor MLAs alleged misuse of fuel cards, with a spokeswoman stating the party was bound by parliamentary convention not to “reflect on the Speaker” for making the determination.