Push grows for inquiry into allegations around Adam Brooks

Peter Gutwein has confirmed Liberal candidate Adam Brooks has resigned and will not take a seat in parliament due to concerns about his mental health after new charges. LATEST >>

• Police won’t investigate Brooks’ alleged fake licence
• ANALYSIS: Premier can expect a tsunami of scrutiny

Premier Peter Gutwein has confirmed Liberal candidate Adam Brooks has resigned and will not take a seat in parliament due to concerns about his mental health and after receiving a firearms charge in Queensland.

Mr Gutwein said he was told by Mr Brooks he was visited by Queensland Police yesterday and charged with a firearms offence and another offence relating to a document.

“He maintains his innocence in terms of these new charges, he’s indicating that he’s seeking legal advice and intends to defend himself,” Mr Gutwein said.

Mr Gutwein said he spoke with Mr Brooks at 7pm last night who informed him of the charges and that he was interstate seeking treatment.

He said Mr Brooks had left Tasmania on Wednesday and it was unclear when he would return.

“He is very unwell,” Mr Gutwein said.

“He is seeking treatment, but he’s not in a good space at the moment.”

The premier said the government had not provided support to Mr Brooks.

Premier Peter Gutwein and candidate Adam Brooks at the Liberal campaign launch at Robbies, Rokeby. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The government has provided no support, in terms of the party they have had people reaching out and in touch with him on a regular basis,” Mr Gutwein said.

“You can only take people at face value and on their word, and in terms of the conversations that I’ve had with Mr Brooks over the period leading up to him being a candidate and then throughout the campaign period, as I’ve said he’s been emphatic in his denials of the allegations,” he said when questioned if it was mistake to let Mr Brooks run as a candidate.

Mr Brooks had narrowly seen off fellow Liberal candidate Felix Ellis for the fifth seat in Braddon.

“I understand there will now be a recount of this vacancy in Braddon which I fully expect will result in another Liberal member being elected,” Mr Gutwein said.

Mr Brooks has faced allegations in recent weeks relating to fake online dating profiles and a forged Victorian drivers licence.

Mr Gutwein maintains a standpoint that Brooks has not committed any wrongdoing in relation to those allegations.

Mr Brooks has been bailed to appear in court on the Queensland charges.

He resigned from parliament in 2019 before returning to run in this month’s state election.

During the campaign he was facing allegations relating to firearms storage offences, which he also denied.

ANALYSIS: PREMIER CAN EXPECT TSUNAMI OF SCRUTINY

Push grows for inquiry into allegations around Adam Brooks – Thursday, May 13

AN inquiry should be held into allegations of misconduct against newly elected Liberal MP Adam Brooks, two independent politicians and the Greens say.

Mr Brooks is accused of creating fake online accounts on dating sites, using a fake Victorian driver’s licence and conducting relationships under the name of “Terry” while claiming to be an engineer living in Melbourne.

Tasmania Police is not investigating the claims about the fake driver’s licence.

Mr Brooks denies the allegations, saying they are part of a political campaign against him.

Mr Brooks is expected to return to parliament next month after being elected as a Liberal party member for Braddon.

Adam Brooks at the announcement of Liberal candidates at Campbell Town in March. Picture: Rob Burnett

New independent MP Kristie Johnston said there were questions that need to be answered.

“I think there are some serious concerns there. The community is quite rightly asking questions around integrity, honesty and transparency,” she said.

“I think that’s a very important fundamental principle, that we take complaints seriously and that we act from that position of taking them seriously.

“I think there certainly deserves to be in an investigation.

“The community needs to have confidence that their members of parliament are acting with honesty and integrity and there have been some very serious complaints raised and matters of concern and they deserve to be fully investigated.”

Outgoing Clark MP Sue Hickey said Mr Brooks had a “huge cloud over his head”.

“Mr Brooks left this parliament in disgrace some time ago and so I’m absolutely gobsmacked that the Liberals would have even preselected him to be quite honest. He was a bit of a Womble in the parliament

“To hear our Premier do a Scott Morrison and say he’s standing by his man – without looking further into it and questioning the other women or hearing the women’s voice or hearing any of these female advisers – I just find disgraceful.”

Sue Hickey said it was “disgraceful” the Premier had backed Adam Brooks without looking into the claims. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Brooks, a former mining Minister in the Hodgman Liberal government, left parliament after a scandal involving the use of a private email account and an Integrity Commission investigation.

He is currently facing a criminal charge over the storage of clay target ammunition, which he will “vigorously” defend.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the allegations against Mr Brooks were very serious.

“At least two women have signed statements that Adam Brook lied to them about his identity.

“The Premier has made a very regrettable choice to believe a male colleague over at least two women with very credible stories, one of them backed up by CCTV footage.”

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