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
The Aporia