Sports Minister Nathan Barrett admits sending female constituent sexually explicit videos

SPORTS Minister and Assistant Treasurer Nathan Barrett has admitted sending a female constituent two sexually explicit videos of himself in a bathroom

Minister for Sport and Recreation Nathan Barrett has admitted to sending sexually explicit videos to a constituent

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SPORTS Minister and Assistant Treasurer Nathan Barrett has admitted sending a female constituent two sexually explicit videos of himself in a bathroom.

Mr Barrett is also Young Territorians Minister and is tipped to become Treasurer after the upcoming estimates hearings.

He is seen in the two short videos, sent via Facebook and obtained by the NT News, masturbating with his left hand.

The recipient of the video claims she did not solicit the sexually explicit messages.

She claimed she was in a vulnerable place and that Mr Barrett had promised her a job when he became Treasurer.

“He manipulated me,” she told the NT News. “I didn’t ask for the videos, but we did share many texts over the months and I suppose we had developed a relationship. He did use his power to influence me. I was vulnerable and it happened.” Mr Barrett said yesterday that he was going “through a rough patch” with his wife but denied the messages he sent were unsolicited.

He said they were part of an online affair with the woman that developed from emails and ended in March. The woman admitted when questioned that she and Mr Barrett became close.

When approached to speak about the video yesterday, Mr Barrett insisted the NT News come to his electorate office to meet. In his office he spoke at length, with his wife at his side, but insisted that much of the conversation be off the record.

He admitted to sending the message but denied making a job offer. He said the messages, one of which was sent at 2.52pm, were sent from his home bathroom.

The NT News offered Mr Barrett the opportunity to make comment and to provide further context to the story. He did not respond by a late deadline, which the NT News extended twice in an attempt to allow him to contribute.

He is the anointed next Treasurer, expected to take over from Dave Tollner before the election as Mr Tollner retires.

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Mr Barrett, a married father-of-three, has a deep commitment to his local church and presents to the electorate as a committed family man. He was sworn into cabinet in February after former deputy chief minister Willem Westra van Holthe resigned over a private investment shares scandal.

Mr Barrett was first elected in April 2014 at the Blain by-election after former Chief Minister Terry Mills retired.

Follow @PhillippaButt

Originally published as Sports Minister Nathan Barrett admits sending female constituent sexually explicit videos