26th Oct 2022, 3:52 PM – Senate Motions - Thorpe, Senator Lidia - Explain and be questioned

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson (One Nation), which means it failed.

Motion text

(1) That Senator Thorpe be required to attend the Senate chamber immediately after the conclusion of formal motions on Wednesday, 26 October 2022 to make a statement of not more than 15 minutes, addressing:

(a) the nature of her relationship with Dean Martin, former president of Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang; and

(b) the allegations made by ABC media on 20 October 2022 that:

(i) Senator Thorpe had been made aware by staff that because of her position on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, which was receiving confidential briefings about bikie gangs and organised crime, her relationship and continued communications with Mr Martin put her at an extreme risk of being extorted and create perceptions of a conflict of interest,

(ii) despite being informed of the serious risks, Senator Thorpe chose to ignore the warning and keep her relationship with Mr Martin hidden from the Leader of the Australian Greens, Mr Bandt, and the committee, and

(iii) in an effort to conceal her ongoing relationship with Mr Martin from the public and the Senate, Senator Thorpe communicated with Mr Martin using encrypted communications app Signal, clearing their conversations once a week, and never met at their respective homes; and

(c) whether information related to Senator Thorpe's work for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement was provided to Mr Martin, or any other associate of an outlaw motorcycle gang via encrypted communications or any other means.

(2) That any senator may move a motion to take note of Senator Thorpe's statement, that debate on the motion may proceed for a period of up to 60 minutes, and that senators may speak to the motion for not more than 10 minutes each.