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List of Australian politicians convicted of crimes

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Federal

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
John Curtin 1914 Labor Failing to comply with a compulsory medical examination for conscription 3 days' jail Later became Prime Minister of Australia; first Prime Minister to be convicted of an offence [1]
Benjamin Benny 1926 Nationalist Fraudulent conversion of trust funds 3 years' jail [2]
Wilson Tuckey 1967 Liberal Assault Fined $50.00 After being convicted of assaulting an Aboriginal man, he was nicknamed "Iron Bar" [3]
Derryn Hinch 1987, 2011, 2014 Derryn Hinch's Justice Party Contempt of court, breaching suppression orders 12 days in prison, 5 months' home detention, 50 days in prison Hinch was a radio announcer at the times of his crimes, and was elected to the Australian Senate in 2016 [4]
Bob Woods 1997 Liberal Rorting travel expenses 18-month suspended jail sentence [5]
Michael Cobb 1998 National Rorting travel expenses Fined $14,000, 2-year suspended jail term [6]
Andrew Theophanous 2002 Labor Bribery and fraud 6 years' jail Served two years and successfully appealed the fraud charge. [7]
Craig Thomson 2014 Labor/
Independent 		Theft $25,000 fine[8] Reduced from 12 months' jail with 9 months suspended on appeal, 49 charges of fraud dismissed.[9] [8]
Steve Irons 2015 Liberal Unlicensed drink driving 4-month good behaviour order [10]

New South Wales

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Thomas Ley 1947 Nationalist Murder Death, later commuted to confinement in Broadmoor Asylum Involvement with a number of disappearances, including that of Frederick McDonald, his predecessor as MP [11]
Rex Jackson 1987 Labor Accepting bribes 10 years Former Minister for Corrective Services. Increased from 7½ years on appeal [12]
Tony Packard 1993 Liberal Unlawful use of listening devices Fined $1000 Offences were committed while operating a used-car business, prior to entering parliament [13]
Barry Morris 1996 Liberal Making death threats 1 year Decreased from 2½ years on appeal [14]
Milton Orkopoulos 2008 Labor 33 counts, including child sex and drug offences 13 years and 8 months (non-parole period 9 years) Decreased from 13 years and 11 months on appeal [15]
Richard Face 2009 Labor Making a false statement to the ICAC Fined $2,500, three-year good-behaviour bond Lied about misusing parliamentary and electoral office staff to help set up a consultancy. [16][17]
Adam Marshall 2014 National Mid-range prescribed content of alcohol Driver's licence suspended for nine months, fined $2,000 Returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.112. [18][19]
Eddie Obeid 2016 Labor Misconduct in public office 5 years (non-parole period of 3 years) Failing to declare his precuniary interest while a member of parliament and subsequent attempts to influence bureaucrats and Labor colleagues so as to benefit his family [20][21][22][23][24]

Queensland

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
William Hamilton 1891 Labor conspiracy in connection with the Queensland shearers' strike 3 years future state MP [25]
Brian Austin 1990 National misappropriating public funds 15 months [26]
Leisha Harvey 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months 7 months served in home detention [26]
Don Lane 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months [26]
Geoff Muntz 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months [26]
Keith Wright 1993 Labor child sex offences 8 years (non-parole period 4 years), paroled after 5½ years Former Opposition Leader [27]
Bill D'Arcy 2000 Labor child sex offences 11 years (non-parole period 7 years) [28]
Merri Rose 2005 Labor extortion 1½ years [27]
Karen Struthers 2007 Labor Drink driving $1,000 fine and loss of licence for 10 months [29]
Gordon Nuttall 2009, 2011 Labor Corruption, receiving secret commissions, theft 15 years (non-parole period 10 years) [30]
Scott Driscoll 2013 Liberal National 42 counts of contempt of Parliament, four counts of failing to register interests and one count of misleading the House fined $84,000 for contempt;

fined $4,000 for failing to register interests; fined $2,000 for misleading the House; and the Legislative Assembly moved to expel Driscoll from the chamber and declare the seat of Redcliffe vacant "to protect the honour and dignity of the Legislative Authority".

[31]

Tasmania

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Brenton Best 2002 Labor Drink driving fine and loss of licence [32]
Terry Martin 2011 Independent Producing child pornography and sexual penetration of a child under the age of 17 suspended sentence [33]

South Australia

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Bernard Finnigan 2015 Labor/
Independent 		Obtaining access to child pornography A 15-month suspended sentence with a three-year $1,000 good behaviour bond Also added to the sex offender register [34][35][36]

Victoria

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Carolyn Hirsh 2004 Labor Drink driving $600 fine and driving ban of 6 months [37]
Andrew Olexander 2004 Liberal Drink driving $500 fine and lost of licence for 12 month [38]
Carolyn Hirsh 2006 Labor Drink driving and driving while disqualified $600 fine and driving ban of 1 year [39]
Adem Somyurek 2009 Labor Driving while disqualified One-month suspended jail sentence and $300 fine [40]

Western Australia

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Ref
Julian Stuart 1891 Labor conspiracy in connection with the Queensland shearers' strike 3 years future state MP [41]
George Taylor 1891 Labor conspiracy in connection with the Queensland shearers' strike 3 years future state MP [42]
Frederick Baglin 1923 Labor stealing as a servant 3 years sitting state MP [43]
Brian Burke 1994 Labor misappropriating public funds 7 months former state Premier [44]
Ray O'Connor 1995 Liberal stealing a Bond Corporation cheque from a parked car 18 months former state Premier [45][46]
David Parker 1996 Labor perjury 18 months former state Deputy Premier, paroled after six months [47]
Wayde Smith 1998 Liberal perjury 18 months paroled after six months [48][49]
Graham Burkett 2006 Labor receiving bribes 14 months former mayor of Stirling and state MP [50]

See also

References

  1. ^ Serle, Geoffrey (1993). "Curtin, John (1885–1945)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  2. ^ "EX-SENATOR BENNY GUILTY". The Register (Adelaide). South Australia. 11 June 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 8 October 2020 – via Trove.
  3. ^ Feneley, Rick (28 August 2010). "Nasty and deserved end for our wild Uncle Wilson". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ^ "Derryn Hinch guilty of breaches, not sorry". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Scandals claim seven Howard ministers". SBS News. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Cobb and co in fight over will". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 October 2002. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Craig Thomson joins a small and inglorious list of Australian politicians sent to jail". news.com.au. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b Cooper, Adam (17 December 2014). "Craig Thomson convicted and fined $25,000". The Age. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Craig Thomson sentenced for defrauding Health Services Union". ABC News. 25 March 2014.
  10. ^ Inman, Michael (16 October 2015). "Western Australia Liberal MP Stephen Irons placed on good behaviour order after unlicenced drink driving". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. ^ "MP Thomas John Ley was the minister for murder". The Australian. 30 December 2010.
  12. ^ "Jackson given extra 2½ years". Sydney Morning Herald. 24 June 1988.
  13. ^ "Mr Anthony Charles Packard (1943- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Morris jail term cut". The Australian. 26 November 1996.
  15. ^ "Former NSW MP Milton Orkopolous is appealing child sex and drug offences". The Australian. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Prison looms for Face after lie to watchdog". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 December 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  17. ^ "Career switch saves Face from prison". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 December 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  18. ^ "NSW Nationals MP Adam Marshall disqualified from driving after being charged with mid-range drink driving". Daily Telegraph. AAP. 15 July 2014.
  19. ^ Cormack, Lucy (28 June 2014). "NSW MP Adam Marshall caught drink-driving". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  20. ^ Hoerr, Karl (28 June 2016). "Eddie Obeid found guilty of misconduct in public office for not declaring his precuniary interest while member of NSW Upper House". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  21. ^ McClymont, Kate (28 June 2016). "Eddie Obeid guilty verdict: beginning of the end for former Labor powerbroker". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  22. ^ Whitbourn, Michaela (15 December 2016). "Eddie Obeid jailed for misconduct over Circular Quay business deals". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  23. ^ Carter, Lucy; Calderwood, Kathleen (15 December 2016). "Eddie Obeid sentenced to five years' jail for misconduct in public office". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  24. ^ Gerathy, Sarah (15 December 2016). "Eddie Obeid: The rise, reign and recession of NSW's most notorious political powerbroker". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  25. ^ Neethercote, B. W. (1983). "Hamilton, William (1858–1920)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 9. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
  26. ^ a b c d Allen, Elizabeth (14 May 2007). "Players in a vast drama". Courier Mail. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  27. ^ a b "Pollies Behaving Badly". NewMatilda.com. 18 June 2008.
  28. ^ "D'Arcy child sex trial aborted for third time". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 2003. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  29. ^ "Qld Labor MP fined over drink-driving". SMH.com.au. 28 August 2007.
  30. ^ "Nuttall found guilty of corruption". ABC News. 15 July 2009.
  31. ^ "Ethics Committee Report 139" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. 19 November 2019.
  32. ^ Bowe, William (9 March 2006). "Tasmanian election: Braddon form guide". The Poll Bludger. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  33. ^ "Ex-MP guilty of sex with child prostitute". SMH.com.au. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  34. ^ Marcus, Candice (9 December 2015). "Bernard Finnigan: Former MP gets 15 months' jail suspended in favour of bond". ABC News. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  35. ^ "MLC Bernard Finnigan quits politics after guilty verdict on child porn". ABC News. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  36. ^ "Bernard Finnigan guilty: SA court hands down verdict on child pornography against former SA Labor MP". AdelaideNow. 10 November 2015.
  37. ^ "Drink-driving Lib MP fell asleep at wheel". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 March 2005.
  38. ^ "Drink-driving Lib MP fell asleep at wheel". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 March 2005.
  39. ^ "Vic MP guilty of 2nd drink-drive offence". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 August 2006.
  40. ^ "Labor MP sentenced for driving offence". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 December 2009.
  41. ^ Grant, Donald (1990). "Stuart, John Alexander Salmon (1866–1929)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 12. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
  42. ^ Birman, Wendy (1990). "Taylor, George (1861–1935)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 12. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
  43. ^ "EX-LEGISLATOR SENTENCED.", The West Australian, 15 August 1923.
  44. ^ "Former WA premier to quit ALP". The Australian. 9 November 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2006.
  45. ^ "Courts embroil MPs in wild West". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. 5 July 1999. p. 2.
  46. ^ Barker, Anthony (2001). What Happened When: A Chronology of Australia from 1788. Australia: Allen & Unwin. p. 360. ISBN 1-86508-426-3.
  47. ^ "Parker appeal dismissed". The West Australian. 21 December 1996.
  48. ^ "Ex-MP jailed in perjury case". The West Australian. 5 November 1997.
  49. ^ "Smith loses realtor licence". The West Australian. 22 August 1998.
  50. ^ (28 February 2006). "Former WA politician jailed for corruption" – ABC News. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
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