Coalition MPs just cannot stay out of the headlines

Hot on the heels of the discovery of how many Coalition parliamentarians are involved in the dual citizenship disaster.... 

Prior to entering the South Australian Parliament in March 2014 the then Liberal  now Independent Member for Mount Gambier, Troy Bell, was a teacher, online wine purveyor, restaurateur and manager of the Independent Learning Centre at Mt. Gambier.

According to its website History page; The Independent Learning Centre (ILC) opened its doors in Mount Gambier in January 2007 as a co-operative pilot program between the State Government’s Department of Education and Children’s Services, the Federal Government FOCiS on Youth initiative, and, later, the Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) initiative.

Independent Commission Against Corruption South Australia:

PUBLIC STATEMENT BY THE HON. BRUCE LANDER QC INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONER AGAINST CORRUPTION

14 AUGUST 2017

Prosecution pending On Friday 11 August 2017, a public officer was charged with 20 counts of theft and six counts of dishonestly dealing with documents, being seven minor indictable offences and 19 major indictable offences, as a result of an investigation by my office. It will be alleged that the 43-year-old man from Mount Gambier dishonestly dealt with a substantial amount of public money. It will be further alleged that the public officer used documents known to be false, with the intention of claiming a benefit for himself. The alleged offending is said to have occurred between 9 July 2009 and 18 March 2013. The man has been summonsed to appear in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court at 10:30am on 22 August 2017.

ABC News, 17 August 2017:

State Liberal MP for Mount Gambier Troy Bell has resigned from the party after being charged with stealing a substantial amount of taxpayers' money.

Liberal Party state director Sascha Meldrum confirmed she had received and accepted Mr Bell's resignation on Thursday.

The first-term MP intends to remain in Parliament and has released a statement saying he is "innocent of these allegations of theft and dishonesty and will defend them in court".

Last week, Mr Bell was charged with 20 counts of theft and six counts of dishonestly dealing with documents.

He's due to appear in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court next Tuesday.

It will be alleged Mr Bell dishonestly dealt with a substantial sum of public money, and that he used documents known to be false, with the intention of claiming a benefit for himself.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred between July 9, 2009 and March 18, 2013, prior to his time in Parliament.

The former teacher ran an Independent Learning Centre in Mount Gambier before his election in 2014.

Mr Bell confirmed in a statement he had been "charged with a number of offences" and he denied any wrong doing.

ABC News, 18 August 2017:

Liberal leader Steven Marshall has come under fire for his party's response to the controversy engulfing Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell, who is facing criminal charges and has resigned from the party after an anti-corruption investigation.

It was revealed today Bell's decision, which has thrown Liberal preselection in the seat in South Australia's south-east into turmoil, followed a probe by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) Bruce Lander.

Bell will appear in court on Tuesday to face charges including 20 counts of theft that allegedly occurred over four years, before he became an MP.

"It will be alleged that the 43-year-old man from Mount Gambier dishonestly dealt with a substantial amount of public money," Mr Lander said in a statement.

"It will be further alleged that the public officer used documents known to be false, with the intention of claiming a benefit for himself."

The former teacher ran an Independent Learning Centre in Mount Gambier before his election in 2014, but is maintaining his innocence and vowing to fight the charges.

Labor is calling on Bell to immediately resign from Parliament and force a by-election, but he has committed to remaining as an independent.

He today spoke publicly about the matter for the first time, and is refusing to rule out contesting the next election.

"That's too early to determine. This has taken a very heavy toll on my family and my staff," he said.

The Advertiser, 18 August 2017:

CHARGED MP Troy Bell did not tell the Liberal Party he was the subject of an internal Education Department inquiry before his alleged crimes were referred to ICAC for investigation.

Sources told The Advertiser that Mr Bell — who is facing 26 criminal charges and has quit the Liberal Party — was aware of an investigation into financial irregularities at the learning facility he managed at Mt Gambier as early as April last year.

Mr Bell on Friday refused to comment on this, stating that his lawyer had advised him not to response to further questions.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said his office had not been advised of any internal investigation into Mr Bell and he first became aware of the ICAC inquiry on Sunday when told by Mr Bell.

As the political storm over the scandal deepened, Premier Jay Weatherill said Mr Bell should resign from Parliament immediately and he attacked Mr Marshall’s leadership on the issue, citing his silence, lack of decisive action and backing for Mr Bell to remain in parliament.