It has been revealed that NSW Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Milton Orkopoulos was arrested and charged this morning at 7:30 a.m., with 30 sexual offences allegedly committed between 1997 and 2005. The charges include six of homosexual intercourse involving boys aged between 10 and 18 years, and 12 of supplying a prohibited drug.
In addition he is now facing two sexual assault without consent charges, three charges of aggravated indecent assault, four charges of procuring drugs for prostitution, and other charges of indecent assault, act of indecency and engaging in an act of child prostitution.
To say the least these charges would be *very* serious for a member of the public. For a government minister they are far worse. The breach of trust issue is taken extremely seriously by NSW courts.
Mr. Orkopoulos, has been the Member for Swansea since 1999 and is married with three children. How this will affect his family I hate to think. Currently he’s on bail after giving a $20,000 surety to the Newcastle court.
If these charges are proved it will be severely embarrassing for the Labor government despite the Premier immediately sacking him from both the cabinet *and* the Labor Party itself. He is being ‘encouraged’ to resign his seat but has not done so yet.
The effect on the Labor government is impossible to gauge right now. But this is coming hot on the heels of the Police Minister Carl Scully being sacked last month and the simmering issue of Kerry Hickey (Local Government Minister ) who has been caught speeding four times – three times in a ministerial car!!
The question has to be asked asked if the Labor can government survive this latest ministerial debacle? The state elections aren’t due until March 2007 so only time will tell.
The Eclectic Interweb 