Indigenous calls to dump Greens senator Lidia Thorpe over bikie relationship

Marcia Langton has called on the Greens to dump Lidia Thorpe as Indigenous affairs spokeswoman for failing to disclose she was dating an ex-bikie boss while handling confidential information about outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Marcia Langton says the Greens showed a ‘peculiar form of racism’ in keeping Lida Thorpe as the party’s Indigenous affairs spokeswoman. Picture: Getty Images

Aboriginal leader Marcia Langton has called on the Greens to dump Lidia Thorpe as the party’s Indigenous affairs spokeswoman for failing to disclose she was dating an ex-bikie boss while handling confidential information about outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Greens leader Adam Bandt asked Senator Thorpe to resign as the party’s deputy Senate leader but is allowing her to continue to lead the party on Indigenous affairs, including on its position on a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament.

Mr Bandt said Senator Thorpe should have informed him about her relationship with former Rebels gang Victorian president Dean Martin while she was sitting on the joint parliamentary law enforcement committee.

At the time, committee members were receiving briefings and confidential documents on the Australian Federal Police strategy to monitor outlaw motorcycle gangs as part of an inquiry into the online trading of illicit drugs.

Mr Martin, who stepped down from the Rebels leadership in 2018 and has never been convicted of a crime, is the brother of late, exiled Rebels leader Shane Martin, whose son is AFL star Dustin Martin. The Rebels are one of the ­nation’s largest bikie gangs and have long been a target of police for drug trafficking and violence.

Senator Thorpe has denied passing on any confidential information from AFP briefings and declared the “brief” romance with Mr Martin was based on their interest in advocating for Indigenous Australians.

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe with ex-bikies boss Dean Martin at a Melbourne market in September.

“I accept that I have made mistakes and have not exercised good judgment,” Senator Thorpe said. “I will now reflect on this and focus on my important portfolio work, especially advocating for First Nations people.”

Professor Langton said the Greens showed a “peculiar form of racism” in keeping Senator Thorpe as the party’s Indigenous affairs spokeswoman.

“I am concerned, as are many Indigenous people, that because she lacks in good judgment and commonsense, she is not fit for the task of representing properly and adequately our very complex issues,” Professor Langton said.

“It also concerns me that the Greens will continue to keep her in the role of spokesperson for Indigenous affairs despite the revelations about her underworld connections. This speaks (to) their peculiar form of racism.

“Their view of Aboriginal people bears no resemblance to the vast majority who are honest, ­decent, hardworking people. They support Senator Thorpe for all the wrong reasons.”

Peter Dutton said Mr Bandt needed to “kick Lidia Thorpe out of the Greens and to kick her out of the parliament”.

“It’s clear that Senator Thorpe is not fit to be in the Australian parliament,” the Opposition Leader said.

“It’s clear that you cannot receive confidential briefings on bikies during the daytime and then sleep with bikies at night time.”

Indigenous Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson are considering moving a motion in the Senate to refer Senator Thorpe for an investigation by the parliamentary privileges committee. Senator Price also said Senator Thorpe should be among the first people referred to the proposed National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, a leading campaigner for a federal anti-corruption commission, said the issue was the kind of thing that could be examined by NACC.

“But we have got no evidence she has done anything wrong,” Mr Watson said.

Senator Price said Aboriginal people deserved a better representative from the Greens than Senator Thorpe.

Lidia Thorpe with Greens leader Adam Bandt. Picture: AAP

“It’s clear by Adam Bandt’s comments that he and the Greens have low standards for Aboriginal Australians when he says Thorpe made a significant error of judgment leading to his call for her resignation from the Greens leadership but that he accepts she is perfectly fine to represent ‘First Nations’ in the Senate,” Senator Price said.

Mr Bandt, who has previously defended the controversial Victorian over bullying allegations, said he did not know about the relationship between Senator Thorpe and Mr Martin until last week when he received inquiries from the ABC.

This is despite his chief of staff Damien Lawson being told about the relationship last year by former staff members of Senator Thorpe, who were reportedly concerned about the perception of a conflict of interest.

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

“At a minimum, Senator Thorpe needed to disclose ... her connection to Mr Martin and her failure to do so showed a significant lack of judgment.”

Mr Bandt said he expected Senator Thorpe to show “better judgment going forward” as the party’s Indigenous affairs spokeswoman. “I have confidence in Senator Thorpe as a senator, representing ... (the) party on First Nations issues,” he said.

Anthony Albanese demanded Mr Bandt provide a full explanation on why his staff did not tell him of the relationship.

“I think that these are concerning revelations,” the Prime Minister said. “Australians are entitled to believe that the oversight processes that are there in the parliament over our legal system will be maintained in a way that ensures integrity and ensures that any information which is given there is kept in a confidential basis.”

Mr Bandt said he had “counselled” Mr Lawson for not informing him about the relationship.

“I have a good and competent chief of staff who makes many good decisions,” Mr Bandt said.

“This was not one of them. I expect that I should have been told about this, and I have made that clear to my chief of staff, and I have counselled him.”

Bibbulman woman Hannah McGlade, an Indigenous human rights expert, questioned whether Senator Thorpe had displayed the exemplary commitment and integrity necessary to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their pressing issues.

“The Greens Leader accepts that Senator Thorpe doesn’t have good enough judgment to be Deputy leader after these shocking revelations, but still considers her suitable to hold the Indigenous portfolio,” Dr McGlade said.