Matthew Perrin release: Secret hearing on prison term held in March

In news that shocked the Gold Coast, the disgraced former boss of surfwear brand Billabong was yesterday released from jail a full year before he was eligible for parole. Now, details of a secret meeting have surfaced to shed more light on the unexpected decision.

A SECRET hearing on Matthew Perrin’s prison term was held in the Supreme Court in March, three months before his mysterious early release.

The hearing, held on March 19, was between Perrin and the Parole Board of Queensland and was closed to the public.

Perrin was released a full year before his parole eligibility date. Authorities have not revealed the reason for the highly unusual move.

Legal sources say the only way it could have happened in their view is if his sentence was re-opened, he received a new penalty and a new eligibility date was set.

Matthew Perrin spotted on Coast after release

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He was sentenced in 2017 to eight years jail after a jury convicted him of forging his ex-wife’s signature to secure a $13.5 million loan secured against his wife’s Cronin Island home on the Gold Coast, which he used to invest in a speculative and ultimately disastrous Chinese supermarket business.

In a Court of Appeal decision in September, 2017, Perrin’s parole eligibility date was listed as being next year.

Former Billabong CEO Matthew Perrin pictured on the Gold Coast on Tuesday following his early release from prison.

Police Minister Mark Ryan says Perrin’s release was a decision made independent of government by the state’s parole board.

“I respect their independence and I’m not going to comment on any specific matter, other than to say when the parole board makes decisions about applications for parole and grants parole - whether it’s exceptional circumstances parole or otherwise - they consider a variety of factors,” Mr Ryan said.

“Those factors include the health of a particular person, family reasons, personal reasons, whether they’ve cooperated with legal and law enforcement agencies, as well as their behaviour and participation in rehabilitation programs.

“That being said, I won’t comment on a specific matter and I respect the independence of the parole board. It’s a decision of the independent parole board.

“That’s the system we’ve got. Like courts, they make decisions independent of government.”

Asked if he would be asking questions about the parole board’s decision, Mr Ryan did not answer, instead saying: “I respect their independence.”

“Should they see it fit to publish reasons for their decision then that’s a matter for them,” he said.