‘Real test’: Opposition calls on Greens to refer Thorpe to anti-corruption commission

Paterson said the Greens faced “a real test” over whether they would send the matter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission when it is operational next year.

Under the government’s legislation before parliament, the NACC will have “broad jurisdiction to investigate serious or systemic corruption, including criminal and non-criminal conduct and conduct that occurred before it was established”.

This will include the power to investigate MPs, and any person will be able to refer a corruption complaint to the commission, or it can decide to conduct an investigation on its own motion.

Asked whether the NACC would investigate Thorpe’s conduct, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said: “I won’t be directing the national Anti-Corruption Commission, when we establish it next year, on what it should be investigating.

“I won’t comment any further on Lidia Thorpe or her conduct. It’s a matter for the Greens and a matter for the parliamentary committee of which she was a member, which is just about to start an investigation into her conduct, as it should, he said.

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Asked on Thursday whether Thorpe should be investigated by the NAAC, Bandt said there was no suggestion that she breached the confidence of any sensitive briefings she received while on the committee.

“The failure to disclose, at least to me, is a serious error,” he said.

“I have asked for her resignation from the deputy leadership. That, on the facts that I’ve been given at the moment, is an appropriate sanction.”

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