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  Sex, Bribes and Visas May 26, 2002 Reporter : Ross Coulthart Producer : Nick Farrow  This week Sunday looks at the fall of disgraced former Federal MP Andrew Charles Theophanous — from the plush leather benches of our Federal Parliament to the dock in Melbourne's County Criminal Court.It is the first time any serving or former Federal MP has ever been convicted of corruption. On the Sunday program this weekend (and Sunday website) for the first time outside his trial, the Australian public can hear the tawdry conversations between this disgraced former MP and his criminal associates. How he conspired to defraud the Commonwealth in return for sex and cash, how he lied to the Federal Immigration Minister as the NCA listened in, and how he was caught on tape admitting his lies and saying it didn't matter. This week Sunday reporter Ross Coulthart watched on as Andrew Charles Theophanous was led out of the dock to a holding cell after he was found guilty on four out of six counts of corruption, laid against him after a major National Crime Authority investigation. The four counts on which he was convicted include conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail. The MP was scheduled to come back for sentencing on Thursday, May 30. Sunday presented two investigative reports raising serious concerns about the then MP's conduct in 1999. Theophanous accused this program of trial by media. Asked if would stand down if was charged by the NCA, he said: "Of course not, on the contrary, why should I? I am innocent." Now he stands disgraced — found guilty by a jury of his peers of four out of six criminal counts. One disgraceful aspect of his misconduct is the fact a politician entrusted with the privileges of his office stooped so low as to seek sexual favours from a Chinese female overstayer in return for his political patronage. Sunday has obtained key tapes of the Crown evidence in the case, including this exchange where Theophanous makes it very clear he'll give her a discount in return for sex. Theophanous: "If she is really alright um …" NCA informant: "Yeah?" Theophanous: "…and she is prepared to have some times with me but keep her mouth shut completely then we will do it for $100 for a year." [A discount from the standard illegal fee he was asking for from clients] Coulthart details how Theophanous' sexual misbehaviour, including alleged harassment of his female staff, was well-known inside the Victorian ALP and was even reported to senior Party officials. He was described in a notorious internal letter as a "low life sexual harasser". Nothing was done by those in the party who knew because, as one insider explains, Theophanous was one of the factional warlords in Victoria — delivering mainly ethnic community votes to Party pre-selection ballots to help ensure factional control over key seats. "It's got to do with the role of the branch stacking, the ethnic war lords and having votes. Somebody needed his vote in Canberra so they protected him there. He had a certain amount of numbers in branches that could influence other people. That's why the process of what I refer to as branch-stacking is a corrupting influence on political parties." This week's Sunday report details how Coulthart began investigating the then Labor Member for Calwell in Victoria in 1993 after hearing allegations Theophanous had been paid a $20,000 bribe by some in the then Chinese Students Human Rights Organisation. That group had solicited over $1 million from the Chinese community to lobby Government to allow students to reside in Australia permanently after the Tiananmen Square massacre. As Sunday's eventual 1999 investigation reported, Theophanous has never satisfactorily answered serious questions about the circumstances of a retraction which was made by the Chinese newspaper journalist who wrote the story about the bribery allegation. If Theophanous is sentenced to more than 12 months' jail, he will lose his lucrative Parliamentary superannuation and entitlements — but only if the Director of Public Prosecutions, with the authority of the Minister applies to the courts for a superannuation order. After his 21 years in Parliament, the former MP's superannuation and entitlements would be substantial. Based on Theophanous serving in the Federal Parliament from 1980 to 2001, and his role on committees and as a Parliamentary Secretary, he was entitled to an inflation-proofed annual pension of nearly $80,000 a year. He also enjoyed a Parliamentary Gold Card, providing free travel.  If you would like to hear some of the incriminating taped phone bug and listening device recordings, then here are some of the key conversations which convinced a jury that Andrew Charles Theophanous was corrupt:Listen to the following recordings (Click here to download Windows Media Player 7.0): Segment 1: 7/2/99  Andrew Theophanous and Frank Cheung negotiate how the then MP will give a discount to a Chinese woman for his political 'help' in return for sex. Segment 2: 7/2/99 Andrew Theophanous and Frank Cheung discuss "special treatment" for Cheung's female friend in return for sex. Segment 3: 19/12/98 Cheung tells Theophanous he's paid Peter Yau $22,000 for Theophanous — a sum the MP says he never received. Segment 4: 16/12/98 Telephone conversation between Andrew Theophanous and Philip Ruddock where Theophanous lies to the Minister. Segment 5: 8/1/99 Telephone conversation between Andrew Theophanous and Immigration Minister's staffer Peter Thompson. |
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