Politician continues to cash in on Commonwealth Games role despite cancellation

• By Avi Yemini

Sign up for Rebel News Australia!

Get updates on Rebel News coverage in Australia delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a story!

Sign Up

REBEL STORE AUSTRALIA

Get Rebel News Australia merchandise! All our products are printed in and fulfilled from Queensland.

SHOP NOW

A Victorian Labor politician responsible for assisting with the Commonwealth Games continues to be paid for the role despite the Games being scrapped.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman is still being paid extra salary as the parliamentary secretary for the Commonwealth Games weeks after Premier Dan Andrews stunned the world by binning them.

The state opposition has demanded Cheeseman stop being paid and that money he has received since Andrews’ announcement be returned.

An MP who is appointed a parliamentary secretary receives an additional $49,710 including expenses each year, on top of their base wage of nearly $200,000.

Deputy opposition leader David Southwick insisted the Premier “must immediately abolish this position”.

“Darren Cheeseman should repay the money he has received for a job he is no longer doing,” he said.

“A week on from the Commonwealth Games scandal and Darren Cheeseman is still taking home additional pay for a job he should no longer have.

“This is a slap in the face to taxpayers who are already facing a more than $1 billion compensation bill to get Victoria out of the Andrews government’s Commonwealth Games debacle.”

But a spokeswoman for Daniel Andrews said: “There’s no shortage of work to do and Darren will continue as a Parliamentary Secretary.”

She refused to say whether that meant Cheeseman would continue to be paid for his Commonwealth Games role or if he would be given a new portfolio entirely.

Details about Cheeseman’s responsibilities would be confirmed before parliament returned next week, she said.