Staffers to Greens senator Lidia Thorpe were concerned her undisclosed relationship with a former outlaw motorcycle gang president while she served on parliament's law enforcement committee posed a perceived conflict of interest.
abc.net.au/news/lidia-thorpe-undisclosed-relationship-ex-rebel-president/101553386Greens senator Lidia Thorpe's staff were so alarmed about her dating a former president of an outlaw motorcycle gang, they took the matter to the office of party leader Adam Bandt and an independent parliamentary authority.
Dean Martin has no criminal convictions but had a 25-year-plus association with the Rebels. He stepped down as Victorian chapter president in 2018 after his brother Shane Martin — the father of AFL star Dustin Martin — was deported to New Zealand over links to the Rebels and Shane's criminal history.
"The fact that members of the Senator's staff recognised the risk shows just how serious it was; the fact that those concerns were rebuffed is a concern — if all was well it would have been passed straight to Mr Bandt who could deal with it transparently," Mr Watson, a former ICAC senior counsel said.
Dean Martin spoke to documentary maker Ross Kemp for a story on outlaw motorcycle gangs that aired in 2015. "Prudence and caution would suggest that if Ms Thorpe wished to continue a relationship of any kind with Mr Martin, she should have resigned from the committee.""There are questions about the matter; those questions need answers.""Parliamentary oversight is absolutely vital for integrity and democracy but the price of effective oversight is to have an appropriate measure of secrecy," Mr Walker said.
This staffer said Senator Thorpe had come into the office after Question Time that day and told the staffer she had just been with Mr Martin in the park across the road. "She has chosen not to take it … I highlighted the huge, real, risk. She assured me the relationship was no longer underway." Senator Thorpe said this was a scheduled meeting "to discuss issues related to deportation of First Nations people including his brother [Shane]", who had died in New Zealand at the end of last year.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘As terrifying as it is absurd’: Greens lash facial recognition plan for all NSW pubs and clubsClose to 100 clubs already using the technology to prevent people with self-imposed bans from playing poker machines
Read more »
NSW government under pressure to put Star millions to good useMedical experts, religious groups, the Greens and anti-gambling advocates have urged the state government to invest some of the $100 million penalty into minimising gambling harm.
Read more »
Calls for ex-politicians to be excluded from becoming anti-corruption commissionerGreens Senator David Shoebridge said it would be “inappropriate” for a former politician to become the commissioner of a national integrity body, arguing there would be a “clear apprehension of bias”.
Read more »
Vladimir Putin declares martial law in annexed regions of UkraineRussian President Vladimir Putin has declared martial law in the four regions of Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed and given additional emergency powers to the heads of Russian regions. 9News
Read more »