NT Police Special References Unit investigating cocaine sex scandal as texts reveal MLA knew of illicit drug use by lover

AN elite team of police officers tasked with handling sensitive political matters has been investigating the alleged cocaine sex scandal implicating Territory Labor members for months

• Politician at centre of ‘cocaine sex’ scandal reveals extra-marital affair
• FULL SPEECH: Blain MLA Mark Turner breaks silence on scandal

AN elite team of police officers tasked with handling sensitive political matters has been investigating the alleged cocaine sex scandal implicating Territory Labor members for the past two months.

The NT News has confirmed detectives from NT Police’s Special References Unit began investigating the situation before Christmas.

It comes as Blain MLA Mark Turner, in a late night speech to parliament, revealed himself as the politician implicated in the scandal and that he had carried out an extra-marital affair.

He admitted his “friendship” with the woman at the centre of the scandal but said any suggestion he had been involved in illegal activity was “categorically untrue”.

“I am deeply embarrassed by all of this, and if that was the Leader of the Opposition’s goal – she has succeeded,” he said.

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Mr Turner, a married father of five children who is a regular at church on Sundays and a former police officer, confirmed he had been in a “friendship” with the woman and had “exchanged general conversation” including “intimate conversation”.

“I do not recall the details of every conversation,” he said.

“I accept that there were aspects of our friendship in the past that were not appropriate, because they were too intimate. “It was not illegal, it was consensual, it was respectful, but not appropriate.”

It is understood text messages sent between Mr Turner and the woman at the centre of the alleged tryst have been obtained by police as part of the investigation.

Blain MLA Mark Turner, in a late night speech to parliament, revealed himself as the politician implicated in the scandal and that he had carried out an extra-marital affair. Picture: Che Chorley

Police have also obtained messages sent between the woman, who described herself on radio yesterday as a former “bondage mistress”, and a senior fifth floor Labor staffer.

The sexually explicit message exchange between Mr Turner and the woman, seen by the NT News, suggest the politician was aware the woman he was in a sexual relationship with was a cocaine user. In the text messages, the woman explained to Mr Turner she had a bad batch of cocaine which had made her feel unwell. There were several exchanges about their sexual experiences and desires.

A picture of a fifth floor staffer’s penis — not Mr Turner’s — has also emerged in a separate exchange.

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The woman at the centre of the scandal, whom the NT News has also spoken to, said Mr Turner had not done illicit drugs and there was no evidence he did anything wrong.

The Special References Unit investigates sensitive political matters including conflicts of interest and corruption, and is known for their work into the CLP’s Foundation 51 slush fund and convicted travel agent fraudster Xana Kamitsis.

Officially, police have yet to confirm or deny any investigation into the alleged scandal, only saying they “won’t be commenting”.