$90 perk for nights with mum
HINCHINBROOK MP Nick Dametto nets a cool $90 when he stays at his mum’s place on a work night, but insists it’s cheaper for the taxpayers than him living it up in an Ingham motel.
Mr Dametto claimed a $90 daily travel allowance – a little known perk – on 36 occasions over the last year.
He says the claim for staying with family or friends is only one third of the $270 he would be entitled to if he stayed at a hotel when he was working away from his home in North Shore.
“They give you this living away from home allowance,” Mr Dametto said.
“I used to have the same thing when I worked in construction.
“Instead of me checking in to say the Lees Motel or the Tropics Motel, which I would then qualify for the $270, I try to stay with family or friends to save the taxpayers some dollars.”
Mr Dametto said his mum didn’t charge him board for nights he stayed with her. The main expenses when he visited parts of his electorate away from his home were meals.
Despite living in the outer suburbs of Townsville, the Member for Hinchinbrook maintains his office in Ingham, which contributes to his constant travelling.
He said it would be “political suicide” to move the office out of Ingham as it had been there for many years.
Mr Dametto said having a base in Ingham and home in Townsville gave him balance to serve his electorate, with 60 per cent of his constituents based between the Northern Beaches and Rollingstone.
He also makes regular use of the KAP offices in Townsville when required.
As for why he doesn’t just move back to his hometown of Ingham and be closer to his office, Mr Dametto said he loved where he lived and would also lose a ton of money if he sold up.
“Like everybody that bought or built in Townsville at the wrong time, I overcapitalised and am stuck with an asset that’s probably worth 150,000 less than I paid for it,” he said.
Mr Dametto noted his electorate had an allocated amount of travel expenditure each year and claimed to have accumulated $18,000 less than he was entitled to.