Parliamentary allegations against NT magistrate blithely ignored by the government ... Allegations of intimidation and offering inducements to a rebel MP ... Step outside and I'll sue ... It's different up here ... Buffalo Bruce reports
Controversial MP Larisa Lee - allegations against Madge Maley
ANOTHER chapter in the Top End's wild and woolly approach to law and justice is currently unfolding.
On May 15, rebel MP Larisa Lee, who in April resigned as a member of the CLP and joined the PUP, told parliament that Magistrate Peter Maley had rung her up and tried to induce her to stay with the Libs.
She read a letter into the parliamentary record:
"On the one hand I felt that I was being intimidated if I did not follow what he [Maley] regarded as the established directions of the party.
On the other hand, I believe that there was a clear attempt to bribe me with the offer of a future senior government position and a high level of associated resources."
If she did leave the government benches, she was told that she could not be "protected".
The Opposition launched a no confidence motion against the government and it's failure to investigate the allegations, but that was lost along party lines.
For his part Maley has confirmed he did have a conversation with the member of parliament but, needless to say, nothing improper occurred.
"I repudiate entirely the characterisation of the conversation referred to. I emphatically deny any suggestion that I may have acted unethically or inappropriately at any time either personally or on behalf of the Country Liberal Party.
I invite Ms Lee to repeat the accusations outside parliament where parliamentary privilege cannot prevent legal proceedings being taken against her."
That begs two questions: why is a judicial officer ringing up a member of parliament; and were he in a position to sue would it be a nice look to bring a defamation action in the courts of his home jurisdiction?
On May 12 Justinian reported that Peter Maley, handed out how to vote cards for a Country Liberal candidate and was a director of the party's slush fund, Foundation 51 Pty Ltd - while at the same time serving as a magistrate.
When the heat was turned up by the Opposition in parliament, Madge Maley handed in his membership ticket and resigned from the party's fundraising arm.
Maley's pal and sponsor is the NT attorney general John Elferink.
Further reading ...
See, Larisa Lee's allegations under parliamentary privilege
See, Larisa Lee's record of phone conversations with Magistrate Maley and AG Elfrink
See, Pillars of justice
See, Hansard of censure motion