A local government councillor is making headlines across the country for trying to bill ratepayers for a drink at a strip club.
Nige Jones, a councillor with the City of Joondalup (COJ) in Perth, visited the Crazy Horse Revue during a work trip to Adelaide for an official conference in August.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Councillor forced to explain strip club drink.
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The club visit came to light after the councillor himself submitted a receipt to the city, trying to recoup the cost of a beer at the venue.
Jones said he thought it was a normal pub and only realised his mistake when a dancer walked out in a bikini.
“I had restless sleep so decided to go out and have an alcoholic drink to help me relax. I walked two minutes to the nearest bar (entered with no cover charge) and ordered a beer in a bar,” he said in a statement to The West Australian.
“I had only been out my bed 15 minutes when a dancer came out on the bar floor to dance in a bikini.
“Consequently I came to my senses promptly and drank my beer as quickly as I could and left the bar.
“A genuine mistake.”
Jones believed he was still entitled to have his refreshment reimbursed because he did not know it was a strip club.
“Given I never felt I intentionally (sought) a strip bar or stayed to take in the dances, I submitted all my refreshment receipts from the trip for reimbursement,” he said.
“Obviously it is wrong for a councillor to be in such a venue. I wasn’t reimbursed by COJ so I don’t have to pay anything back.”
City of Joondalup councillor Nige Jones is in hot water after he visited the Crazy Horse in Adelaide. Credit: 7NEWS Ratepayers were unsure if his explanation passed the pub test.
“If he’s telling the truth, that’s unfortunate,” one told 7NEWS.
“Either way, he should probably pay for his own beer at somewhere like that at least.”
Another said “I’m sure (ratepayers have) paid for worse”.
“I’m sure that’s not the worst thing we’ve probably paid for in our time,” he said.
“What is it — 10 bucks? Ten bucks for a pint, that’s alright.”
The city refused to reimburse Jones’ strip club beer and have ordered he undergo a course in ethical decision making.