Frank Zumbo comments on Craig Kelly in recordings
The trusted right hand man to ousted ex-federal MP Craig Kelly described him as “the worst example” of a politician, in hours of recordings where he repeatedly prodded a staff member about their relationship.
St George Shire Standard
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The trusted right hand man to ousted former federal MP Craig Kelly described him as “the worst example” of a politician in hours-long recordings played in court.
Frank Zumbo, 54, is facing a local court hearing on 20 charges of sexual touching and indecent assault after five women alleged misconduct occurred while they worked in the office of Mr Kelly between 2014 and 2020.
Zumbo denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty to each of the offences.
The court has now heard several hours of audio recordings captured by one of the female complainants, which encompass hours-long conversations Zumbo had with her about their relationship.
In one recording made in April 2015, Zumbo describes Mr Kelly – to whom he has been publicly, unswervingly loyal – as “the worst example” of a politician as he repeatedly tries to convince the woman to pursue a political career with his assistance.
“Craig is the worst example, Craig is the worst example,” Zumbo is heard saying in the recording played in court.
Instead, Zumbo urges the complainant to follow the example of Miranda state Liberal MP Eleni Petinos.
“You’re an intelligent woman like Eleni, you’re a pretty girl, you’ve got a lovely smile, you’re Eleni,” he tells the woman in the recording.
“She’s older than you, has the experience, she carries herself … all these little games and tricks, I can teach you.”
The complainant – who has been giving evidence in the case against Zumbo since Friday – described the recordings as capturing hours-long conversations in which Zumbo would bombard her with questions about their relationship.
In the recordings, Zumbo alternates between asking if their relationship could ever be physical, or if the woman could ever see something other than friendship between them, and insistences that he is “the ultimate feminist” and does not expect sex or affection from her.
“I only see us as friends,” the woman says.
“That’s your final answer,” Zumbo responds.
“I thought that you were more hopeful and there was a possibility after you finished uni,” Zumbo continues.
“I just don’t feel that way, we’re friends,” the woman responds.
“So you don’t love me then?” Zumbo says.
“I love you as a friend,” the woman responds.
“There’s no willingness to have a physical relationship, that’s not going to change,” Zumbo asks.
“No, I don’t see it happening,” the woman responds.
“You don’t find me attractive?” Zumbo persists.
“We’re just friends, that’s it,” the woman says.
The court has now heard several hours of recorded conversations between Zumbo and the complainant, which the complainant said captured hours-long back and forths that would occur all at one time.
The nature of the conversations heard in court was largely the same – for hours, Zumbo continues to press the woman about how she feels about him and whether there could be a physical relationship between them, as the woman keeps protesting they are just friends.
“You don’t find me attractive … what are you looking for in a boyfriend?” Zumbo asks.
“I’m not looking for anything,” the woman responds.
“You don’t see it developing into anything?” Zumbo returns.
“I don’t think of it like that,” the woman says.
At other times, Zumbo emphatically says he knows “no means no” from a woman and describes himself as “the ultimate feminist”.
“You’ve treated me like shit at the end of the day, I’m crushed,” Zumbo says to the woman.
“I don’t ask you for sex, I don’t ask to touch you inappropriately.”
On Monday, crown prosecutor Shaun Kroner asked why the woman, in her recordings, once seemed to agree with Zumbo’s request for her to reconsider the potential relationship between them at a future point.
“I tried saying no multiple times, but I would be stuck even longer than I already was,” the woman responded.
“I saw it as a way out – unless you gave him something the conversation never ended … it gets exhausting having to repeat sometimes.”
The hearing continues on Tuesday.
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