Peter Dutton says Lidia Thorpe ‘unfit’ to serve in parliament
Peter Dutton says action should be taken against “unfit” Greens senator Lidia Thorpe over her relationship with a former bikie.
Peter Dutton says he would refer Greens senator Lidia Thorpe to a national anti-corruption commission over the revelations about her relationship with an ex-bikie boss.
Senator Thorpe resigned as Greens deputy Senate leader after it was revealed she had failed to disclose she had been dating former Rebels president Dean Martin while she was sitting on a law enforcement committee.
The head of the parliamentary joint committee on Friday launched an investigation into whether Senator Thorpe broke any confidences while a sitting member of the committee.
The Opposition Leader said Senator Thorpe was “not fit” to serve in the Australian parliament.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Mr Dutton called on Greens Leader Adam Bandt to sack her from the party.
“Adam Bandt is the leader of his party, he has been made aware of very serious allegations and he should be the one that is dealing with them,” Mr Dutton said.
Mr Dutton said he’d be “very happy” to refer the matter to the national anti-corruption commission if it was established.
“You see the violence from time to time — the shootings — and it’s a pretty unsavoury gathering,” he said.
“And for a member of the Australian parliament to be consorting with somebody in the senior ranks of one of the biker gangs at the same time that she‘s receiving classified intelligence briefings in the committee is unacceptable.”
Mr Dutton has offered tentative support for the Albanese government’s Bill to establish a national anti-corruption commission.
But the Coalition is yet to confirm if it will support the legislation to pass through parliament.
Senator Thorpe has said she “briefly dated” Martin and that he was “no longer involved with that world” when they were together.
After resigning from her party leadership position at the request of Mr Bandt, Senator Thorpe said: “I accept that I have made mistakes and have not exercised good judgement”.
“I will now reflect on this and focus on my important portfolio work, especially advocating for First Nations people,” she said in a statement.