Senator faces probe for bikie relationship

Dominic Giannini | October 24, 2022

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe has referred herself to a parliamentary inquiry in relation to her undisclosed relationship with a former bikie boss.

Senator Thorpe didn’t disclose a relationship with Dean Martin, the ex-president of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang, while she was sitting on a parliamentary law enforcement committee.

She wrote to the Senate president on Monday saying she was happy for a privileges committee inquiry to take place.

The privileges committee investigates whether parliamentarians have complied with disclosure rules.

Senator Thorpe’s letter does not automatically initiate an inquiry but it has staved off a One Nation push to censure her.

The One Nation motion would require Senator Thorpe to give an explanation about the nature of her relationship and why she kept it hidden.

It would also call on Senator Thorpe to reveal whether she passed on any information received in briefings about outlaw motorcycle gangs or Mr Dean’s associates while in the relationship.

But the motion hangs on how long the president takes to consider the issue and what shape any inquiry would take.

Liberal senator James Paterson called for Senator Thorpe to come clean, saying the Greens “talked a very big game” when it came to integrity issues.

“Yet it’s often the case when members of their party room transgress against integrity principles, they’re nowhere to be seen,” he told reporters.

Senator Paterson also called on the Greens to release the letter sent to the president.

“Senator Thorpe has obviously agreed her conduct is so serious it must be referred to the privileges committee,” he said.

“What is the basis for her own referral?”

Senator Thorpe resigned from the Greens’ leadership team after the relationship was revealed. 

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the government was considering the Senate’s next move.

“It’s not something that can be dismissed lightly,” she told reporters.

“We will be considering options about how to deal with the matter. We want to do it calmly, sensibly and rationally.”