Perth Mayor Lisa Scaffidi defying calls to resign, accused of 33 FREE international flights

Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi is defying calls to step down after being accused of taking 33 free international flights and not disclosing them.

The State Administrative Tribunal found Ms Scaffidi had committed 45 serious breaches of local government laws, by not disclosing travel and accommodation gifts.

At a council meeting on Tuesday evening, WA Today reported Ms Scaffidi was defiant about her future.

‘I had a phone call with both (Mark McGowan and Mike Nahan)… walking is not an option for me,’ Ms Scaffidi said.

‘I will have a lot more to say on the topic when I can. I won’t be resigning, there is no need for me to resign, that is not sought by the director general.’

She told the council meeting she would not resign and would weather whatever the process turned up.

‘I am prepared to take any penalty… but let the process take its course,’ she said.

‘I’ve just been abiding by the process… I hadn’t enjoyed it but I’ve gone through it.’

By law, Ms Scaffidi should have disclosed any gift worth $200 or greater.

The action was brought against her after she made omissions in her 2008-09 annual return, including a luxury, $36,000 package to the Beijing Olympics paid for by BHP Billiton.

The omissions were deemed serious misconduct by the Corruption and Crime Commission in 2015.

Ms Scaffidi faces possible suspension or dismissal from her role as Lord Mayor.  Her matter is listed for a penalty hearing on May 16.

The SAT also looked into her return for 2013-14 at a hearing in February, where she admitted five breaches of the act including the mining giant’s gift.

She argued unsuccessfully to the SAT, which handed down its finding on Tuesday, that a distinction should be drawn between accommodation provided to her personally, as opposed to when she was in the course of carrying out an activity in her capacity as Lord Mayor or otherwise as a councillor.

Ms Scaffidi conceded she was not careful with her annual expense reports claiming she was sometimes ‘too busy’ to sort it out, WA Today reports.

In an email she wrote to a staff member, Ms Scaffidi said: ‘Hope five star – let them know, I don’t stay in trash’.

MORE HERE Perth Mayor Lisa Scaffidi defying calls to resign | Daily Mail Online