Steve Cansdell, the NSW MP for Clarence, has thrown in the towel and is quitting state parliament after serving just six months of the current parliamentary term of four years . Early reports suggest the former pugilist may have taken one punch too many, causing him to sign a statutory declaration that contained something significantly less than the truth.
9 comments:
Didn't Cansdell (who was made parliamentary secretary to the NSW Police Minister) get well over 62% of first preference votes in the Clarence electorate at the recent 2011 NSW election?
The man just threw away a seat for life. :-0
This deception happened about six years ago. Did not Cansdel learn anything from the tragic demise of former Justice Einfield's reputation for committing a similar offence? This is the first real scandal of the O'Farrel governement but I expect it won't be the last. I never trust the coaltion with its superior moral tone, couched as it always is in hypocrisy, and I do not think others should either.
After banging on about law and order for years this man should be ashamed.And to keep his very lucrative parliamentary pension is truly disgusting.
Anyone remember that letter to the editor questioning the legitimacy of Cansdell's last taxpayer-funded study tour overseas? Hhmmmmm....
"In this, Steve Cansdell is paying a very heavy price for a lapse of judgment six years ago," Mr Stoner said.
Mr Stoner would not name the third party involved in the false statutory declaration.
"To my knowledge it is not a family member," he said.
"Mr Cansdell has told me he doesn't want to reveal the identity of that third party.
"He is concerned of repercussions for that person, and it is matter for him."
http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/news/
national/national/general/mp-cansdell-forced-to-quit-parliament/2294505.aspx?storypage=0
Talk around the Clarence Valley, which may or may not be accurate, is that the person he persuaded to take the speeding rap he also later fell out with.
"It is understood that in recent weeks one of Mr Cansdell's former aides has been openly discussing her intention to raise the matters. Mr Cansdell told a media conference he resigned to "save the embarrassment for the NSW government and the National Party."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/scandal-triggers-first-casualty-for-ofarrell-20110916-1kdvz.html#ixzz1Y7r1pxmB
Daily Tele says the person who claimed to have been driving the car on September 28 2005 was an electorate officer.
It also says that by resigning before any charge is laid, Mr Cansdell ensures he is entitled to a parliamentary pension of more than $80,000 a year.
The media seem to be treating this offence as a mere peccadillo, but had Cansdell been a labor MP I'm sure it would be a cause of great concern or, more likely, even hysteria and panic.
So what happens to Cansdell's electorate office staff now that he's resigned on the spot? Does the NSW Parliament allow them wages in leiu of notice or has Steve just booted them out the door without so much as a by your leave?
Post a Comment