Greens senator Lidia Thorpe will refer herself to the Senate privileges committee over her former undisclosed relationship with ex-Rebels bikie gang president Dean Martin.
It comes days after the ABC revealed that Senator Thorpe had “briefly dated” Martin in 2021 while she was sitting on the joint parliamentary law enforcement committee. On Thursday, she stepped down as deputy leader of the Greens in the Senate.
In a statement, Senator Thorpe said she had written to the President of the Senate, Sue Lines, to request a self-referral to the Senate privileges committee. The committee’s main role is to investigate conduct that could be seen to obstruct, or interfere with the work of the Senate.
Senator Thorpe said she is “more than willing to participate in any inquiry” and that the Greens party room “backed” her decision.
“I am proud of my work for First Nations justice and I won’t stop fighting for my people,” she said.
“As required by the standing orders I will not be making any further comment in relation to the referral until the President has concluded consideration of the matter.”
On Friday, Labor senator and law enforcement committee chair Helen Polley announced an investigation into any conflicts of interest that could’ve arisen from Senator Thorpe sitting on the committee while she was in a relationship with Martin.
The committee has started reviewing what confidential information it received while Senator Thorpe was part of it, per The Guardian.
PEDESTRIAN.TV does not suggest Thorpe shared any confidential information with unauthorised people.
According to The Age, the opposition is calling for Senator Thorpe to be censured, but the federal government hasn’t confirmed if it would support the censure motion.
A censure motion basically allows ministers to show they’re pissed off with the performance or actions of another minister without it having any constitutional or legal consequences.
All I’m gonna say is other politicians have done a lot worse and haven’t copped this much flack.
