Treasurer Rob Lucas makes shocking claims that Labor staff feared retaliation if they assisted police investigating child abuse

The Treasurer’s claims Labor staffers feared retaliation if they helped child exploitation detectives lack evidence, the opposition says.

Labor staff were afraid to provide information to SA Police’s child exploitation team for “fear of being labelled disloyal to the party”, Treasurer Rob Lucas has alleged in shocking claims that rocked state parliament.

However, Labor says Mr Lucas’ has been “unable to provide evidence to support his claims”.

“It is deeply offensive for Mr Lucas to seek to take political advantage of child sexual exploitation in this way,” Labor senators Penny Wong and Don Farrell said in a joint statement.

In an address to the Legislative Council late on Wednesday night, among a raft of allegations against bullying and misconduct by Labor MPs, Mr Lucas detailed a letter sent by sexual abuse victims campaigner Maggie Dawkins to Ms Wong and Mr Farrell, as well as another senior Labor figure.

The letter, sent on July 12 last year, expressed concerns that Labor members were allegedly hesitant to co-operate with police in the fear of ruining the party’s election hopes.

“Recently I’ve been made aware of party members and staffers who say they’re afraid to provide information to the South Australian Police Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team for fear of being labelled disloyal to the party,” Ms Dawkins wrote.

“Apparently they feel that if they contact police, they may spoil Labor’s chances of winning the next state and federal elections.”

Treasurer Rob Lucas. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The letter came after Benjamin Waters, a former adviser to Labor MP Nat Cook, pleaded guilty to a raft of child abuse charges, and former minister Bernard Finnigan was sentenced in December 2015 for accessing child pornography. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Ms Cook.

“It appears that there are staff in the offices of MPs who fear reprisals, including losing their jobs, if they expose others within the party, who are also involved in child sex crimes, and are exploiting young vulnerable men,” Ms Dawkins wrote.

“There are a number of staff who fear retaliation if they assist police with their inquiries, that there is even one member of staff who feels that they may contribute to the party‘s electoral demise.”

Opposition frontbencher Kyam Maher was copied into the letter, and replied to Ms Dawkins.

Sexual abuse campaigner Maggie Dawkins. Picture: Pete Thornton

Senator Farrell initially told The Advertiser that he never received the letter, but later said the State Secretary responded to Ms Dawkins, on behalf of Senator Wong and himself the day the concerns were raised.

A statement by both senators said Ms Dawkins was asked to provide information in order for the Labor party to investigate the claims.

“Despite being invited to, as yet Ms Dawkins has not provided any information to allow her claims to be investigated by the party,” the statement read.

“Any form of exploitation or abuse of children is abhorrent – particularly sexual exploitation or abuse. We stand with victims of any kind of abuse, particularly children.”

State Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Mr Lucas’ claims were “simply preposterous and he has been unable to provide evidence to support his claims”.

Ms Cook said she wrote to Mr Lucas on April 1 last year, requesting Waters’ immediate termination of employment given the nature of the allegations made against him.

She received a response from Mr Lucas on April 29, advising that Waters had tendered his resignation, effective from that day.

“I am, and always will be devastated for anyone caught up in these disgusting acts,” she said.

Mr Lucas also detailed an explosive claim that Labor frontbencher Katrine Hildyard allegedly threw a chair while “yelling and screaming” across an office during a debate with staff.

Opposition Labor Party Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Emma Brasier

Documents obtained “unofficially” by Mr Lucas revealed the discovery of complaints lodged by a staffer of Ms Hildyard in 2015, that he said had “corroborating” evidence by another staff member.

Mr Lucas said access to the document, a workers compensation claim, was refused as a Freedom of Information motion at the time.

The claim alleged the staff member had “been subjected to abusive, insulting or offensive language or comments, unjustified criticism or complaints, excessive unreasonable workload and a variety of other issues,” Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas alleged that in August 2015, an issue between the staff member and Ms Hildyard was discussed at meeting.

“It ended up with (Ms Hildyard) yelling and screaming and throwing a chair across the office, which was heard by two other staff members,” Mr Lucas said.

Other claims involve Ms Hildyard refusing to speak to staff members, locking herself in an office and being “coaxed” out, and other allegations of abusive treatment.

In July last year, The Advertiser attempted to obtain Freedom of Information documents relating to unproven “allegations or suggestions of improper conduct” involving Ms Hildyard.

A total of 239 documents were identified in the request, but the department denied access to 232 documents.

Labor MP Katrine Hildyard has been accused under parliamentary privilege of allegedly “yelling and screaming and throwing a chair across the office” during a debate with her staff.

While Mr Lucas acknowledged that “in some cases the staff member might be wrong”, he said the consistency of claims was worrying.

“Where there is an issue of concern is when there is a continuing series of complaints of a similar nature being made against the same member of parliament,” he said.

Ms Hildyard did not reply to The Advertiser’s request for comment.

The allegations are the latest in a series of bullying allegations involving both Liberal and Labor MPs, all of which have been denied.

Although some dated back five years, they only emerged after a March 2021 report by the state’s acting Equal Opportunity Commissioner revealed a dozen alleged instances of sexual harassment and bullying in state parliament.

Member for Light Tony Piccolo’s ex-staffer Bradley Johnson accused the MP of forcing him to resign one month before he was due to finish his traineeship in 2018.

Sport Minister Corey Wingard was accused of bullying and intimidating the head of SA’s peak sports body, leaving its chief executive officer “shaken” and “concerned” about future interactions. Mr Wingard was cleared of any wrongdoing after an independent investigation.

Ms Hildyard was accused of an unprofessional pattern of behaviour against staff.

Environment Minister David Speirs denied bullying and harassing a former female electorate office manager.

Labor MP for Badcoe Jayne Stinson has also faced allegations of “improper conduct” and a claim that her office had “a higher than expected turnover of staff”.