Greens Senator Under Probe for Undisclosed Relationship With Ex Gang Boss

Ex-Deputy Leader of the Greens in the Senate Lidia Thorpe speaks to the crowd with mock blood on her hands on September 22, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. Indigenous groups have held "Abolish the Monarchy" rallies around Australia on Thursday to highlight the impact of British colonisation in Australia. Thursday 22 September was declared a one-off public holiday as a National Day of Mourning for Australia following Queen Elizabeth II's death. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Left-wing Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe is under investigation over whether she breached any confidence when dating an ex-gang leader while being a member of the law enforcement committee.

It comes as Labor and the Coalition are both placing pressure on Greens leader Adam Bandt to take stronger action against Thorpe, who announced her resignation from her role as Greens deputy leader in the Senate on Thursday. Thorpe will still retain her senator seat.

Thorpe confirmed to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that she was in a brief relationship with Dean Martin, the former president of the outlaw motorcycle gang Rebels, in early 2021.

However, she didn’t disclose her relationship to party leader Bandt despite sitting on a parliamentary committee that granted her access to confidential documents on gangs, sparking concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Chair Helen Polley announced a probe into the Thorpe on Friday.

Incoming Senator Lidia Thorpe during her swearing-in at in the Senate at Parliament House on October 06, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty Images

“There’s been a breach of trust, and we want to check the facts,” the Labor senator said.

“She has shown such poor judgement, declaring a conflict of interest is Senate 101 ... this feeds into the discourse that politicians are in it for themselves as the Albanese government is trying to restore that public faith in the integrity of politics.”

“With Senator Thorpe’s contempt for the Senate with the swearing-in ceremony and now the breach of trust in failing to advise of a conflict of interest, she should consider if it’s the right place for her,” she said.

She told The Australian that the committee’s secretariat is looking into all previous minutes taken during meetings when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) gave briefings about criminal gangs in which Thorpe was in attendance.

Major Parties On Unity Ticket

At the same time, the centre-right Coalition warned Thorpe could face a censure motion—a move showing no confidence in a minister or government—which could result in Thorpe’s removal from Parliament.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said Thorpe was “unfit to serve.”

“From day one with Lidia Thorpe, it’s always been about her. It’s never been about the institution she serves and the privilege she has representing the great state of Victoria,” she told Sky News Australia. 

Environment Minister Sussan Ley speaks during question time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 4, 2019. Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

Ley argued that despite being aware of the confidentiality of the law enforcement committee, Thorpe had used or abused it by being associated with an outlaw motorcycle gang, which is “simply not good enough.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in on the issue, calling on Bandt to provide a full explanation of “what exactly the circumstances” were.

“The fact that he apparently wasn’t aware of this information from Senator Thorpe, even though it was reported to his office, clearly shows that they need to change their procedures that are in place,” he told reporters in Perth.

Meanwhile, One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson criticised the Greens for demanding integrity and principle “from everyone except themselves.”

“If Senator Thorpe had principles, she would resign from the Senate. If Greens leader Adam Bandt had integrity, he would kick her out of his party,” she said in a statement.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the relationship was a clear conflict of interest.

“You can’t be on an inquiry investigating outlaw motorcycle gangs and be in a relationship with an (ex) outlaw motorcycle gang member, a bikie,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program on Friday.

Thorpe previously admitted the mistakes she had made.

“I ... have not exercised good judgement,” she said in a statement.

AAP contributed to this article.