Greens senator Lidia Thorpe has resigned as the party’s deputy leader in the Senate following revelations she failed to disclose a relationship with a former bikie boss while on a powerful parliamentary committee.

The ABC revealed on Thursday that Senator Thorpe had not disclosed she was had “briefly dated” former Rebels president Dean Martin while serving on the parliamentary law enforcement committee.

The committee had been receiving confidential briefings about bikie gangs at the time.

Greens leader Adam Bandt – who called a media conference within an hour of the relationship being exposed – requested Senator Thorpe’s resignation from the party leadership following the revelations. She quickly accepted.

Mr Bandt said Senator Thorpe’s failure to disclose the relationship was a “significant lack of judgment”.

“As leader I expect my senators and MPs, especially those in leadership positions, to exercise good judgment,” he said on Thursday.

“At a minimum, Senator Thorpe needed to disclose to me her connection to Mr Martin and her failure to do so showed a significant lack of judgment.”

In Western Australia on Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the revelations were concerning.

“[We need] to believe that the oversight processes over the legal system will be maintained in a way that ensures integrity and ensures that any information which is given there is kept in a confidential basis,” he said.

“I note that Senator Thorpe has said that this is an error of judgment – that is the least description that I would put to it.

“Adam Bandt has to explain what his office knew and what he knew – and if he wasn’t informed about these issues, given his office was informed, why that is the case?”

Senator Thorpe said she had accepted the mistakes she had made.

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

“I will now reflect on this and focus on my important portfolio work, especially advocating for First Nations people.”

She told the ABC the pair “met through Blak activism and briefly dated in early 2021″.

“We remain friends and have collaborated on our shared interests advocating for the rights of First Nations peoples,” Senator Thorpe said.

Mr Martin has no criminal convictions.

Mr Bandt said he was not aware of the relationship until he was contacted by the media. He said it was disappointing it was not disclosed.

“People are entitled to trust that where there are issues that affect the work of senators, all members of parliament, that they will be disclosed,” he said.

“It is disappointing because it is an error, a significant error of judgment from someone who has a lot to offer this country and a lot to offer this parliament.”

Mr Bandt said Senator Thorpe had not been involved in the justice portfolio since the May federal election.

She will remain a Victorian senator.

– with AAP

The post Greens senator quits role over bikie boss appeared first on The New Daily.

</imgsrc=””>