Jacinta Price under investigation for 14th potential misuse of expenses

In all, Price has repaid claims totaling $10,926.08. As a shadow minister, Price is paid between $280,000 and $292,054 a year, along with various allowances and superannuation.

Asked why she has paid back so many claims, a spokeswoman said: “The senator is diligent and proactive in reviewing her travel claims and expenses. Evidence of previous repayments is evidence that the Senator takes very seriously her responsibility to ensure the proper use of taxpayer funds and proactively rectifies any mistakes if and when she has become aware of them.”

Though the federal election campaign has not yet formally begun, March has started with a drumbeat of stories on politicians’ tactics, history and finances, including a LNP candidate for the Townsville who apologised for comparing homosexuality to cancer in 2015 and a stoush over signage in the Sydney electorate of Wentworth.

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Price first met Lillie, her second husband, in 2008 in a bar in Alice Springs where he was performing, and he recognised her from her role on a children’s television show, Yamba’s Playtime.

The senator is a regular at her husband’s gigs, particularly in Canberra, jokingly describing herself as his “roadie” on social media and has appeared on stage with him at times to sing alongside Lillie, who describes himself as a ‘Scozzie’, or Scottish-Australian.

On December 14, 2022, the couple flew to Canberra for three nights when the senator had to return to Canberra for a one-day end-of-year sitting.

Lillie’s taxpayer-funded return flight to Canberra was within the rules, which allow a partner up to nine business class reunion flights where the dominant purposes is “facilitating the family life of the parliamentarian”.

While there, Lillie played as the supporting act for Alex Lloyd, the Australian singer known for his 2001 hit ‘Amazing’ at a concert in Canberra on December 16, which Price also attended.

Price’s spokeswoman said the senator had travelled to Canberra for parliamentary duties “including attending sittings in the Senate on 15 December 2022 and participating in meetings with her colleagues and others”.

In May 2023, Lillie had to cancel his “Back on the Beard” national tour because of a lack of ticket sales. But while shows in WA, NSW, Tasmania and Victoria were scrapped, he was still able to play one gig on Friday, 12 May at Smith’s Alternative bookshop in Canberra.

Price was in Canberra at the time for the release of the federal budget that week and her spokeswoman said, “the dominant purpose of Mr Lillie’s travel to Canberra in May 2023 was to facilitate the Senator’s family life”, which is within the rules for family reunion travel entitlements.

And as recently as March 3, Price and Lillie joined Nationals MP Sam Birrell on stage to sing at a party event in Echuca, Victoria during a trip that also took her to the regional cities of Bendigo and Warrnambool.

Price’s spokeswoman said that “no taxpayer resources were used for Mr Lillie to travel to Victoria in March 2024”.