Peter Andrew Hansen to make bid for jail release after he allegedly exploited kids in Philippines

Labor’s campaign to hold the safe state seat of Cabramatta has been thrown into disarray after the local branch president was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with producing pornography which allegedly exploited children in The Philippines.

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Labor’s campaign to hold the safe state seat of Cabramatta has been thrown into disarray after the local branch president was charged with producing pornography which allegedly exploited children in The Philippines and importing prohibited material into Australia.

Peter Andrew Hansen, 61, who speaks fluent Vietnamese and recently celebrated securing his driver’s licence in that country, was arrested at Sydney International Airport when he returned from Vietnam on October 6.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal details of the case for the first time after an interim suppression order was not continued.

Peter Andrew Hansen, 61, was charged by police with three offences when he arrived back in Australia from Vietnam in October last year.

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Hansen, once a local Labor candidate, has been charged with three offences by police — produce child pornography outside Australia, possess child abuse material and intentionally import prohibited tier-2 goods without approval.

He has spent the past five months in jail and is due to make a NSW Supreme Court bid for release on Thursday.

As well as his presidency of the Cabramatta branch, Hansen holds crucial support of the group Vietnamese Friends of Labor which is considered vital for local candidates to win preselection and local votes.

After The Daily Telegraph informed an ALP official that Hansen would appear in court on Thursday, the party last night ­revoked his membership.

He allegedly produced child pornography, exploiting children in The Philippines.

“NSW Labor this afternoon became aware that Peter Hansen will appear before the Supreme Court on Thursday. As such his membership has been suspended,” a spokesman said, adding his presidency had lapsed.

Labor MP Nick Lalich’s long reign in the safe seat of Cabramatta since 2008 has come with the support of Hansen and the Vietnamese community.

Hansen also supported Opposition police spokesman Guy Zangari in a bitter preselection battle against Chris Bowen-backed David Saliba for Fairfield last year. Mr Zangari was successfully endorsed to contest the seat at the next election in a rank-and-file vote of branch members. Mr Lalich and Mr Zangari did not respond to requests for comment.

Three days before his arrest Hansen posted on social media of his joy at gaining a Vietnamese drivers’ licence.

“O blessed day! For which I have waited for 27 years! Notwithstanding that it is another horribly phorto (sic), and most people think I must be suicidal!”

He has spent the past five months in jail and will make a bid for release on Thursday.

Hansen was working with children at an English language school in Vietnam prior to his return to Australia.

Court documents allege Hansen “did produce” child pornography and “the production of the material occurred outside Australia, namely The Philippines”.

Police further allege Hansen “intentionally” imported prohibited “tier 2 goods” between 7.05am and 10.51am on October 6, “namely Child Exploitation Material”.

Police seized a hard drive when they arrested Hansen.

A magistrate initially granted Hansen bail the day after his first arrest saying he had no prior criminal history and added the allegations were “of some great concern to the community”.

“He comes before the court as a lawyer, he would know more than most people that this type of behaviour was serious,” the magistrate said in Parramatta Bail Court.

Hansen was taken back into custody on October 10 after Australian Federal Police raided his Cabramatta home and issued the other two of the three charges against him.

Prior to returning to Sydney, Hansen had been living in Vietnam for four months where he was working with children at an English language school.

Originally published as Peter Andrew Hansen to make bid for jail release after he allegedly exploited kids in Philippines