‘We kissed once’: Senator Lidia Thorpe on ex-bikie fling

Lidia Thorpe has retracted previous claims she dated a bikie and demanded an apology after a report from an inquiry was handed down.

Controversial senator Lidia Thorpe demanded an apology after an inquiry into an undisclosed relationship with a former bikie cleared her of contempt.

Senator Thorpe was forced to resign as the deputy senate leader of the Greens last October after a report emerged she had briefly dated former Rebels bikie boss Dean Martin while she was working on the joint parliamentary law enforcement committee.

Mr Martin has no criminal convictions.

She was reportedly privy to confidential briefings about bikie gangs and organised crime during that time while she was on the law enforcement committee.

Senator Thorpe referred herself to the senate privileges committee to investigate whether her failure to declare the relationship with Mr Martin obstructed her work, caused improper interference with the committee or if any contempt was committed.

Lidia Thorpe has been cleared by an inquiry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The privileges committee on Tuesday night released its report, which found no contempt, but criticised Senator Thorpe for failing to disclose the relationship.

“The committee is of the view that Senator Thorpe should have declared her relationship with Mr Martin to the joint committee as a potential conflict of interest with her work on the committee,” the report said.

“However, on the basis of the evidence provided by the joint committee and Senator Thorpe, the committee is satisfied that no disclosure of such material has occurred and that the operations of the joint committee have not been impeded.

“The committee therefore concluded that a contempt should not be found in relation to the matters referred to it.”

But in a statement to the Senate, the Victorian revealed she had never dated the ex-bikie and claimed she was told by lawyers for the Greens to say so.

“I had no relationship with that person. I was given legal advice by the Greens lawyer to say that I had dated this person,” she told the Senate.

“I got a call from that person that said, ‘Ah, did we date?’

“We kissed once at a rally on the 26th of January. I had no idea who this person was or his background.”

She had previously said it was a mistake to not have disclosed the relationship.

Senator Thorpe backtracked on a claim that she dated a Rebels bikie boss. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

At the time of the revelation, Senator Thorpe was deputy senate leader of the Greens. She has since quit the party over other issues.

Greens leader Adam Bandt sought her resignation as deputy senate leader the day after the revelation.

“I have since looked into those matters. I have asked Senator Thorpe for her resignation as deputy leader in the Senate, and I have received a resignation,” he said at the time.

“As a leader, I expect my senators and MPs, especially those in leadership positions, to exercise good judgment.”

A teary Senator Thorpe told the upper house she had been vindicated by the committee’s recommendation.

“All you people thought that I had been running off with some biker gang,” she said.

“What kind of person do you think I am? I deserve an apology, from the leader of the Greens for one because I lost my position.”