Child porn charges against MP leaves South Australian Labor Party shocked
April 22nd, 2011 - 5:00 pm ICT by ANIAdelaide, Apr. 22 (ANI): The Labor Party in South Australia is reeling from a sex scandal involving one of its lawmakers.
Poor poll results, party infighting and calls for a leadership change have added to its woes.
Party lawmakers were said to be in shock yesterday, after police seized laptop computers, computer discs and a mobile phone from the accused lawmaker’s home.
In a statement, Premier Mike Rann said: “Like others, I was shocked by reports I read in the newspaper this morning”.
“For legal reasons, no person, including me as Premier, is at liberty to reveal the identity of the person, the subject of the allegations, or to disclose any information through which others may infer the identity of the person.”
“It would be against the law for me to comment on the allegations, as the matter is now before the courts,” Premier Rann said.
Operation Decimate, an initiative of the SA Police Sexual Crime Investigation Branch, has been running since February 2007.
If the MP is found guilty, he will have to resign their seat in Parliament because any MP found guilty of a crime carrying a penalty of more than two years has to resign.
The MP will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on May 20. It is understood Michael Abbott, QC, will represent the MP. (ANI)
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