SA Best candidate Tom Antonio denies claims he sent racist fax and threatened Eddie Hughes, his opponent in Giles

THE newest candidate for SA Best, Tom Antonio, has categorically refuted allegations he threatened his now-political opponent Eddie Hughes — and denied any knowledge of a racist document allegedly sent by his business.

SA Best candidate Tom Antonio (left) allegedly threatened Labor MP Eddie Hughes (right) in the 1990s.

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THE newest candidate for SA Best, Tom Antonio, has categorically refuted allegations he threatened his now-political opponent Eddie Hughes — and denied any knowledge of a racist document allegedly sent by his business.

Despite Democrat MP Ian Gilfillan telling State Parliament in 1992 that Mr Antonio had allegedly been involved in sending a racist fax titled “Licence to shoot Aborigines”, the former Whyalla acting mayor said he had never sent it, and had no knowledge of the document.

Mr Antonio also strenuously denied allegations made by Mr Gilfillan in Parliament in 1992 that he was then facing three counts of criminal assault, and another count of unlawful detention.

Mr Gilfillan told Parliament he’d been informed of the allegations by Mr Antonio’s fellow councillor Eddie Hughes, who is now the Labor MP facing off against Mr Antonio at March’s state election.

He told Parliament Mr Antonio told Mr Hughes that “we’ve got you lined up”.

THE HANSARD EXTRACTS FROM MAY 5, 1992

Part one of the allegations raised in State Parliament against Mr Antonio. Picture: Hansard.

Part two of the allegations raised in State Parliament against Mr Antonio. Picture: Hansard.

Speaking at the press conference where he was unveiled as the SA Best candidate for Giles, Mr Antonio said it was “completely not true”.

He also said allegations about the document were “absolutely false and malicious”.

Mr Gilfillan told Parliament the document rewarded people who shot Aboriginal people, but imposed “demerit points” on those who failed to reach their bag limit.

“I can’t make it any clearer. It’s an absolute lie and I’ll be taking legal action against anybody who throws any sort of allegation of such happening,” Mr Antonio said.

SA Best leader Nick Xenophon said he’d discussed the allegations with Mr Antonio and his candidate was “very distressed” by them.

“Tom has a very strong relationship with the indigenous community of Whyalla and more broadly in the region. He takes great offence to that and this is really gutter politics,” Mr Xenophon said.

“The police actually investigated that. It didn’t go any further, he wasn’t involved in it. I’m very satisfied by that.”

TOM ANTONIO ACCUSED IN PARLIAMENT OF THREATENING EDDIE HUGHES

Mr Hughes also said he was subject to threats by Mr Antonio.

He said the investigation didn’t go anywhere, but insisted it was all on the record.

Premier Jay Weatherill slammed Mr Antonio as being “unhelpful” while Whyalla’s steelworks were in administration, saying he had harmed the talks by “mouthing off”.

“That was a difficult negotiation and we had Tom Antonio mouthing off and making it even harder,” he said.

Mr Antonio said he’d “expect nothing less from the Premier” given it took him eight weeks to come to Whyalla to support him during the administration.

Mr Xenophon declared the attack as “gutter politics” by the Labor Party.

Mr Antonio also confirmed he had been a member of the Liberal Party within “a couple of weeks” of joining SA Best.

He said he was in “discussions” with the party about running as the Liberal candidate in Giles, but said running for SA Best was in the best interests of the community.

He said the Liberal Party had approached him to run, rather than him approaching them.