MP, Xana to testify at adviser’s trial

HOUSING Minister Bess Price and corrupt travel agent Xana Kamitsis will both give evidence at the October corruption trial of Ms Price’s former chief of staff, Paul Mossman

HOUSING Minister Bess Price and corrupt travel agent Xana Kamitsis will both give evidence at the October corruption trial of Ms Price’s former chief of staff, Paul Mossman.

In the Supreme Court on yesterday, prosecutor David Morters said the crown will tender a bundle of business records from Kamitsis’s business, Latitude Travel.

Ms Price will be required to give evidence about Mossman being responsible for booking travel for her office.

Xana Kamitsis

Mossman, who is on paid leave from his job at an estimated salary of $200,000 per year, was committed to stand trial in February on three counts of corruptly receiving benefits from Kamitsis.

Latitude Travel booked all travel for Ms Price’s office at the time. The crown is expected to argue some of those travel arrangements were at inflated prices.

Defence lawyer John Adams said the case will hinge on Mossman’s “state of mind” at the time of the alleged corruption.

“It can be put down to something he didn’t know about,” Mr Adams said.

Mr Adams said he would oppose the crown tendering a copy of the Public Service Code of Conduct as evidence, because Mossman was a political staffer not a public servant.

But Mr Morters said the code of conduct would show Mossman, a former public servant, would have been aware of his responsibilities despite having moved into a political advisers role.

“He would have been aware of his obligations to the extent that they were comparable (to his responsibilities) as a relatively new ministerial adviser,” Mr Morters said.

Justice Peter Barr adjourned the matter for a preliminary hearing on September 30.

The two-week trial is scheduled to begin on October 14.

Mossman will be required to attend his preliminary hearing in person.