Public cash paid for senator’s poll push

A GREENS senator has come under fire for using her taxpayer-funded printing budget to push for the election of a candidate in our local elections.

Victorian Senator Janet Rice yesterday admitted to using funds from her parliamentary communications budget to produce and distribute letters informing Geelong Council election voters they could trust Greens candidate Sarah Mansfield.

“The Geelong Council Elec- tion is underway, and your vote is powerful,” Ms Rice said in the letter.

“Here in your area, my friend and colleague Sarah Mansfield is standing to represent you on Geelong Council.

“Our local governments across Victoria need councillors with honesty, integrity and a desire to work in the local community. You can trust Sarah to be that for you.”

The Australian Department of Finance entitlements handbook for senators says: “Office budget expenditure on printing and communications must only be used for parliamentary or electorate purposes, and must not be used for party business or commercial purposes, or for the production of how-to-vote material.”

The Department of Finance did not respond to questions about the possible breach of rules concerning the senator’s entitlements and mail-out.

A spokesman for Ms Rice said the letters were approved within her office guidelines.

Ms Rice’s office did not say how much was spent on the mail-out, or how many letters were produced.

Corio federal Labor MP Richard Marles accused Ms Rice of using taxpayers’ money to further the Greens’ cause.

“The Greens are using public funding to help themselves,” Mr Marles said.

“Which tells you everything about them you need to know.”

A Geelong resident, who asked to remain anonymous, voiced concerns with the mailouts.

“It looks like Greens are spending some serious money on mail-outs,” the resident said.

“It looks as though it may have been distributed via Senator Janet Rice’s communica- tions budget ... (which) can only be used for electorate and parliamentary duties — that is, not used to campaign for a candidate running for election.

“This is very clearly party business.”

Ms Mansfield yesterday said the mail-outs were initiated by Ms Rice’s office.

“No one’s raised any concerns with me about that particular mail-out,” she said.

“I guess I would like to think that any materials produced by any of our state or federal parliamentarians, no matter what party they’re part of, complies with the rules.”