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List of Australian politicians convicted of crimes

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A list of Australian politicians who have been convicted of crimes.

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]
Michael Cobb 1998 National rorting travel expenses. fined $14,000, 2-year suspended jail term [2]
Pauline Hanson 2003 Pauline Hanson's
One Nation 		electoral fraud 3 years jail subsequently acquitted and found to have been jailed wrongly. [3]
Andrew Theophanous 2002 Labor bribery and fraud 6 years jail [4]
Craig Thomson 2014 Labor/
Independent 		theft and fraud 12 months jail with 9 months suspended.[5] [6]
Steve Irons 2015 Liberal unlicensed drink driving 4-month good behaviour order [7]
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 [8][9]

New South Wales

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Thomas Ley 1947 Nationalist murder death, later commuted to confinement in Broadmoor Asylum suspected of involvement with a number of disappearances, including that of Frederick McDonald, his predecessor as MP [10]
Rex Jackson 1987 Labor accepting bribes 10 years former Minister for Corrective Services; increased from 7½ years on appeal [11]
Tony Packard 1993 Liberal unlawful use of listening devices convicted, fined $1000 [12][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) appealed March 2009 [15]
Richard Face 2009 Labor Making a false statement to the ICAC fined $2500, three-year good-behaviour bond [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. Court heard plea in mitigation that MP's actions did not amount to wilful disobedience. [18][19]
Edward Moses Obeid 2016 Australian Labor Party Misused parliamentary position for financial gain Awaiting sentencing (as at 29 June 2016). Multiple charges of misuse of parliamentary position for financial gain, including in relation to cafe leases at Circular Quay and to water licences for a farm in Bylong. [20] [21]

[22]

Queensland

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Brian Austin 1990 National misappropriating public funds 15 months [23]
Leisha Harvey 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months 7 months served in home detention [23]
Don Lane 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months [23]
Geoff Muntz 1990 National misappropriating public funds 12 months [23]
Keith Wright 1993 Labor child sex offences 8 years (non-parole period 4 years), paroled after 5½ years Former Opposition Leader [24]
Bill D'Arcy 2000 Labor child sex offences 11 years (non-parole period 7 years) [25]
Merri Rose 2005 Labor extortion 1½ years [24]
Gordon Nuttall 2009, 2011 Labor Corruption, receiving secret commissions, theft 15 years (non-parole period 10 years) [26]
Karen Struthers 2007 Labor Drink driving $1000 fine and loss of licence for 10 months [27]

Tasmania

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Brenton Best 2002 Labor Drink driving fine and loss of licence [28][29]
Terry Martin 2011 Independent Producing child pornography and sexual penetration of a child under the age of 17 suspended sentence [30]

South Australia

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Bernard Finnigan 2015 Labor/
Independent 		Obtaining access to child pornography Awaiting sentencing. 30 November 2015 [31][32]

Victoria

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Reference
Carolyn Hirsh 2004 Labor Drink driving $600 and driving ban of 6 months [33]
Andrew Olexander 2004 Liberal Drink driving [33]
Carolyn Hirsh 2006 Labor Drink driving and driving whilst disqualified $600 and driving ban of 1 year [34]
Adem Somyurek 2009 Labor Driving whilst disqualified $300 and 1-month suspended gaol sentence [35]

Western Australia

Name Year Party Offence Sentence Notes Ref
George Taylor 1891 Labor conspiracy in connection with the Queensland shearers' strike 3 years future state MP [36]
Frederick Baglin 1923 Labor stealing as a servant 3 years sitting state MP [37]
Brian Burke 1994 Labor misappropriating public funds 7 months former state Premier [38]
Ray O'Connor 1995 Liberal stealing a Bond Corporation cheque from a parked car 18 months former state Premier [39][40]
David Parker 1996 Labor perjury 18 months former state Deputy Premier, paroled after six months [41]
Wayde Smith 1998 Liberal perjury 18 months paroled after six months [42][43]
Graham Burkett 2006 Labor receiving bribes 14 months former mayor of Stirling and state MP [44]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/curtin-john-9885
  2. ^ "Cobb and co in fight over will". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 October 2002. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  3. ^ "Profile: Pauline Hanson". BBC. 15 September 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2006.
  4. ^ Theophanous becomes first MP jailed while in office
  5. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-25/craig-thomson-fraud-hsu-sentencing/5342428
  6. ^ "Craig Thomson found guilty of defrauding HSU". The Australian. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  7. ^ http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/western-australia-liberal-mp-stephen-irons-placed-on-good-behaviour-order-after-unlicenced-drink-driving-20151016-gkaqpl.html
  8. ^ "Derryn Hinch guilty of breaches, not sorry". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Emotional Derryn Hinch released from jail over contempt". The Australian. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  10. ^ "MP Thomas John Ley was the minister for murder". The Australian. 30 December 2010.
  11. ^ "Jackson given extra 2½ years". Sydney Morning Herald. 24 June 1988.
  12. ^ "Our fallen politicians". The Advertiser. 17 November 1998.
  13. ^ "Ex-MP goes on air". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 July 1993.
  14. ^ "Morris jail term cut". The Australian. 26 November 1996.
  15. ^ "Former NSW MP Milton Orkopolous is appealing child sex and drug offences". Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Prison looms for Face after lie to watchdog". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 December 2004.
  17. ^ "Career switch saves Face from prison". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 December 2004.
  18. ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nsw-nationals-mp-adam-marshall-disqualified-from-driving-after-being-charged-with-midrange-drink-driving/story-fni0cx12-1226989780035?nk=f06f6975e40c9102a346d68a0bf49003
  19. ^ http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-mp-adam-marshall-caught-drinkdriving-20140628-zspl0.html#ixzz37aIFQelV
  20. ^ Shanahan, Leo (31 July 2013). "Ian Macdonald, Eddie Obeid facing charges after being found by ICAC to have acted corruptly". The Australian. AAP. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  21. ^ "Public inquiry into alleged attempts by the former Hon Edward Obeid MLC to influence official functions over Circular Quay retail leases, and other matters, starts Monday". Current investigations (Press release). Independent Commission Against Corruption. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Public inquiry into circumstances surrounding decision to open Bylong Valley mining area for coal exploration". Operation Jasper (Press release). Independent Commission Against Corruption. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  23. ^ a b c d Allen, Elizabeth (14 May 2007). "Players in a vast drama". Courier Mail. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  24. ^ a b http://newmatilda.com/2008/06/18/pollies-behaving-badly
  25. ^ "D'Arcy child sex trial aborted for third time". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 2003. Retrieved 20 December 2006.
  26. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/15/2626845.htm
  27. ^ http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=42976&vf=1
  28. ^ http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2006/03/09/tasmanian-election-braddon-form-guide/
  29. ^ http://www2b.abc.net.au/hobart/issues/newposts/0/topic129.shtm
  30. ^ http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/11/21/278481_scalesofjustice.html
  31. ^ http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/bernard-finnigan-guilty-sa-court-hands-down-verdict-on-child-pornography-charge-against-former-sa-labor-mp/story-fnii5yv4-1227602771531
  32. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-10/mp-bernard-finnigan-trial-guilty-child-porn-charges/6926284
  33. ^ a b "Drink-driving Lib MP fell asleep at wheel". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 March 2005.
  34. ^ "Vic MP guilty of 2nd drink-drive offence". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 August 2006.
  35. ^ Rood, David. "www.theage.com.au - Labor MP Adem Somyurek sentenced for driving offence". The Age. Melbourne.
  36. ^ 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.
  37. ^ "EX-LEGISLATOR SENTENCED.", The West Australian, 15 August 1923.
  38. ^ "Former WA premier to quit ALP". The Australian. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2006.
  39. ^ "Courts embroil MPs in wild West". Sydney: The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 July 1999. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  40. ^ Barker, Anthony (2001). What Happened When: A Chronology of Australia from 1788. Australia: Allen & Unwin. p. 360. ISBN 1-86508-426-3.
  41. ^ "Parker appeal dismissed". The West Australian. 21 December 1996.
  42. ^ "Ex-MP jailed in perjury case". The West Australian. 5 November 1997.
  43. ^ "Smith loses realtor licence". The West Australian. 22 August 1998.
  44. ^ (28 February 2006). "Former WA politician jailed for corruption" – ABC News. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
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