Fraser Ellis, a former South Australian MP for Narungga, received a 10-month suspended jail sentence and a 12-month good behavior bond after being found guilty of seven counts of deception related to fraudulent claims from the Country Members Allowance. The magistrate emphasized that these were deliberate falsehoods involving $4,676 in public funds over 20 nights between December 2018 and May 2020. Despite the conviction, Ellis maintains his actions were not criminal but rather a result of casualness or recklessness.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
In short:
Fraser Ellis was today handed a 10-month jail term that was suspended on condition of a 12-month good behaviour bond.
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that → hand → bond
The MP deliberately rorted a parliamentary allowance and was found guilty of seven counts of deception.
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MP → rorte → deception
In sentencing, a magistrate said Ellis's crimes were "not mistakes" but "deliberate falsehoods" involving public money.
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crimes → say → money
Former South Australian MP Fraser Ellis has avoided jail for deliberately rorting a parliamentary allowance, but maintains his actions showed a "casualness" or "recklessness" and "certainly not criminality".
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actions → avoid → casualness
The former member for Narungga on the Yorke Peninsula appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, where he was convicted for seven counts of deception and handed a 10-month jail term that was suspended on condition he sign a 12-month good-behaviour bond.
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he → appear → bond
In sentencing, Magistrate Simon Smart said Ellis had misused the Country Members Allowance — an accommodation fund used by regional MPs who are required to travel for parliamentary duties.
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who → say → duties
"Your claims … were not mistakes but deliberate falsehoods,"he said.
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claims → say → ?
Mr Smart said the father-of-two "fraudulently received" $4,676 in dishonest claims relating to 20 nights between December 5, 2018, and May 1, 2020, and noted the money had been repaid.
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money → say → December
He said Ellis's offending "involved gross breaches of trust".
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offending → say → trust
These were public monies, if you like, money of the people of South Australia," he said.
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he → like → Australia
"There is a general public expectation public officials will act with probity and honesty, particularly as [it] concerns public monies, and will be held accountable should they not do so."
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they → be → monies
At the time of the offending Ellis was a Liberal MP, but after the allegations became public in 2021 he quit the party to become an independent.
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he → offend → party
He was one of two MPs, alongside Troy Bell, who were charged over their use of the allowance after a series of exclusive ABC News stories.
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who → charge → stories
Ellis was found guilty of four counts of deception in 2024 following a trial but was acquitted of a further 19 counts.
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Ellis → find → counts
The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against those acquittals and three were replaced with convictions by the Court of Appeal in July this year.
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three → appeal → July
During sentencing submissions earlier this month, Ellis's lawyer, Scott Henchliffe KC, said his client's actions were of a "haphazard nature" and not part of an orchestrated plan.
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actions → say → plan
Reading from his handwritten remarks, Mr Smart said that since Ellis lost his seat at the March state election, the former MP — who studied journalism and law at university — had applied for other jobs without success and now worked for his father in a casual role.
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who → read → role
As he imposed the good behaviour bond, Mr Smart noted Ellis was still a young man, had no prior convictions, had not offended since his arrest and had family responsibilities.
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Ellis → impose → responsibilities
Ellis still disagrees with the court
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Ellis → disagree → court
After signing his good-behaviour bond, Ellis exited the court and said he was "grateful" the "incredibly draining" six-and-a-half-year legal proceedings were over, but said he continued to "disagree with the court".
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he → sign → court
"I don't believe that my actions arose to a level of criminality," he said.
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he → believe → criminality
"I believe it was a casualness with my paperwork that I could plead guilty with in a heartbeat, but I do not believe that I acted in a criminal manner.
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I → believe → manner
"Evidence of that, which has not been talked about much in court, was the fact that while I was found guilty of 20 nights, there were a further 19 where the phone data showed I was in Adelaide and did not lay a claim.
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I → talk → claim
"That, to me, shows a casualness — a recklessness perhaps — but certainly not criminality."
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That → show → casualness
Ellis said he took responsibility for that casualness and accepted the punishment he had been given.
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he → say → punishment
"I am looking forward to moving on with my life, however that may be, and whenever that may come around," he said.
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he → look → life
"It's been a long six-and-a-half-years and for the time being we're going to go have a beer and celebrate the end of these proceedings."
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we → go → proceedings
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