George Christensen slams ‘vile smear campaign’ over Asia trips
Queensland federal Nationals MP George Christensen has outed himself as the politician who was the subject of police inquiries into his travel to South East Asia, denying any wrongdoing.
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Queensland federal MP George Christensen has outed himself as the politician who was the subject of police inquiries into his travel to South East Asia, denying any wrongdoing.
Mr Christensen said any suggestions he was frequenting areas in the Philippines known for prostitution and drugs were wrong, and were being peddled by “gutless” and “vengeful” enemies in a “vile and hateful smear campaign”.
The Nationals MP said he was never under investigation by the Australian Federal Police for any criminality, citing an AFP letter to him.
The Herald Sun reported yesterday that the AFP had inquired into an MP’s travel, prompted by a financial intelligence agency picking up large transactions sent overseas.
There were concerns the MP could be subjected to blackmail and extortion in the areas he was frequenting.
Mr Christensen blamed Labor and former senior MPs for leaking against him, saying the referral to the AFP was from a senior Labor MP. The Herald Sun can reveal that AFP and
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade inquiries began several months before the ALP referral.
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Mr Christensen did not comment about claims that the inquiries had been undermined by a lack of access to encrypted messages.
The Herald Sun understands inquiries continued for months, but the Prime Minister’s Office says the AFP’s checks were finished quickly.
Mr Christensen said he travelled to the Philippines regularly at his own cost to see his friends and his fiancée.
He supports both her and her family.
“All the innuendo is false,’’ he said.
“Apart from jaywalking or speeding, I have never, in my entire life, committed a criminal offence either in Australia or overseas.”
Senior government officials were aware of AFP inquiries early in September last year, following a meeting between AFP boss Andrew Colvin and senior bureaucrat Martin Parkinson over the matter.
Separately, it is understood a DFAT employee — who had worked at the embassy — later privately passed on concerns to a senior Labor MP, who felt the information should be passed on to the AFP. That occurred in mid-November.
In a letter to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton this year, the AFP said it had finished its inquiries and found no evidence of criminality. But it warned that the MP remained at risk of being compromised by foreign interests.