Senator David Leyonhjelm asks council to prosecute his wife as well as him over pool

Senator David Leyonhjelm has questioned whether sexism is at play in a Sydney council’s decision to prosecute him and not his wife for failing to register their backyard pool.

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Senator David Leyonhjelm has questioned whether sexism is at play in a Sydney council’s decision to prosecute him and not his wife for failing to register their backyard pool.

The 66-year-old wants his wife to be charged too and thinks the “extremely intrusive” regulation is yet to save a single life.

Senator David Leyonhjelm wants his wife, as well as him, to be charged over failing to register their backyard pool. Picture: Kym Smith

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The controversial politician has been locked in a legal stoush with the City of Canada Bay since July over what is a requirement for all homeowners under state law.

Senator Leyonhjelm is fighting the charge — which carries a maximum $2,200 fine — arguing the onus was on the council to register his pool for him.

While acknowledging it’s a “petty matter”, Senator Leyonhjelm believes the public pool registry is an invasion of privacy that allows people to snoop on each other.

“We shouldn’t just lie down and let it happen to us,” he said outside Burwood Local Court.

“All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

The Liberal Democrat represented himself at a hearing on Thursday where he asked council worker Jennifer Bukovac if he was being prosecuted for being a man.

Ms Leyonhejelm has himself been accused of sexism, by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who is suing him for defamation. Picture: AAP

“Is it council policy not to prosecute women when a man is on the title?” he said.

Under Senator Leyonhjelm’s cross examination Ms Bukovac said it was simply a matter of convenience as there was only space for one name on the paperwork.

That response didn’t fly with the Drummoyne man, who criticised what he called a weird administrative bungle.

“It’s not a trivial issue, so matters of convenience shouldn’t enter into matters of such significance,” he said outside court.

“If I am convicted I will have a conviction against me but my wife won’t and she’s the joint owner of the pool.

“It’s poor policy to require pools to be registered — it’s yet to save one life as far as I can tell.”

Magistrate Eve Wynhausen repeatedly said she had criminal matters waiting and asked the parties to lodge written submissions before she delivers a verdict in January.

Senator Leyonhjelm is also defending a defamation lawsuit launched by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young who claims he was “slut shaming” her in a series of media interviews given after he told her to “stop shagging men” during a parliamentary debate about violence towards women in June.