Milton Orkopoulos
Encyclopedia
Milton Orkopoulos is a former Australian Labor Party
politician, and convicted criminal. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1999, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.
In November 2006, New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma
sacked him as after he was charged with child sex and other offences. The following week, he resigned as MP for the state electorate of Swansea
. On 14 March 2008 Orkopoulos was convicted on charges relating to child sex offences and the supply of drugs. In May 2008 he was sentenced to 13 years jail.
at the University of Newcastle
. He went on to work for BHP
and as an electorate officer for MPs Peter Morris
, Don Bowman
and Jill Hall
. He married and had three children.
. In March 1999, he was elected to represent Swansea in the Legislative Assembly for Labor, and joined the Socialist Left faction. In August 2005 he was promoted to the front bench, serving in the generally low-profile portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs and Citizenship.
Former NSW Premier, Nathan Rees
, served as his Chief of Staff
before joining the staff of then-Premier in 2006.
was informed by police commissioner Ken Moroney
that Orkopoulos was about to be charged with child sex offences. Moroney later explained that the Orkopolous case "is an issue that would be discussed in the normal course of events between us." The call, which resulted in the Premier's office knowing that the arrest of a senior colleague was imminent, raised questions as to the political independence of the New South Wales Police
. Legal commentator Richard Ackland
wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald that "I can't think of a solid reason why third parties should be told by the police that they are about to nab someone important."
On 7 November 2006 Orkopoulos was arrested and charged with 30 offences including involvement in child prostitution, sexual assault and supplying illegal drugs.
He was immediately sacked by Premier Morris Iemma
as both a minister and member of the parliamentary Labor Party. Orkopoulos denied the charges but indicated that he would not contest his Swansea electorate at the 2007 state election. He resigned from Parliament on 13 November 2006 and reportedly attempted suicide the next day.
The Government also passed legislation to suspend or remove Parliamentary pension entitlements for any Member who resigns when charged with serious crimes prior to the resolution of charges. The provisions of the legislation permitted its retrospective application to Orkopoulos.
Further charges were laid against Orkopoulos on 16 April 2007. On 14 March 2008 he was found guilty of 28 offences relating to sexual assault of a minor, indecent assault and supplying heroin and cannabis. On 21 May 2008 Orkopoulos was sentenced to 13 years and 11 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 9 years and 3 months. In March 2009, he lodged a challenge against his conviction in the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
politician, and convicted criminal. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1999, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs
The New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs is a department of the Government of New South Wales that is responsible for administering legislation in relation to NSW's policies that support indigenous Australians and advising the Minister for Citizenship, Communities and Aboriginal...
and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.
In November 2006, New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
sacked him as after he was charged with child sex and other offences. The following week, he resigned as MP for the state electorate of Swansea
Electoral district of Swansea
Swansea is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Hunter Region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It was represented by Milton Orkopoulos of the Australian Labor Party until his arrest in 2006 on allegations of child sex and drugs offences. It is now represented by Garry...
. On 14 March 2008 Orkopoulos was convicted on charges relating to child sex offences and the supply of drugs. In May 2008 he was sentenced to 13 years jail.
Early life
Orkopoulos briefly trained as a nurse before studying economicsEconomics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of Newcastle
University of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
. He went on to work for BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
and as an electorate officer for MPs Peter Morris
Peter Morris (politician)
Peter Frederick Morris was an Australian politician.Morris was born in Sydney and was an alderman on the Newcastle City Council from 1968 to 1974. He won the House of Representatives seat of Shortland in 1972. He was appointed Minister for Transport in the first Hawke Ministry in March 1983. In...
, Don Bowman
Don Bowman
Donald John "Don" Bowman is a former Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Swansea in the New South Wales Legislative Assemblyfrom 1981 to 1988 and from 1991 to 1995....
and Jill Hall
Jill Hall
Jill Griffiths Hall , an Australian politician, is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives, since the 1998, representing the seat of Shortland, New South Wales for the Australian Labor Party....
. He married and had three children.
Political career
From 1995 until 1999, Orkopoulos represented Labor on Lake Macquarie City CouncilLake Macquarie
The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle and was proclaimed as a city from 7 September 1984.-The City of Lake Macquarie:...
. In March 1999, he was elected to represent Swansea in the Legislative Assembly for Labor, and joined the Socialist Left faction. In August 2005 he was promoted to the front bench, serving in the generally low-profile portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs and Citizenship.
Former NSW Premier, Nathan Rees
Nathan Rees
Nathan Rees MP, , an Australian politician, was the 41st Premier of New South Wales and parliamentary leader of the New South Wales division of the Australian Labor Party from September 2008 to December 2009...
, served as his Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
before joining the staff of then-Premier in 2006.
Arrest and conviction
On 5 November 2006, Police Minister John WatkinsJohn Watkins
John Watkins may refer to:* John Watkins , former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, Australia* John Watkins , Canadian diplomat and ambassador...
was informed by police commissioner Ken Moroney
Ken Moroney
Kennneth Edward Moroney AO APM was the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force in New South Wales, Australia from 2002 until 2007.- Personal life :...
that Orkopoulos was about to be charged with child sex offences. Moroney later explained that the Orkopolous case "is an issue that would be discussed in the normal course of events between us." The call, which resulted in the Premier's office knowing that the arrest of a senior colleague was imminent, raised questions as to the political independence of the New South Wales Police
New South Wales Police
The New South Wales Police Force is the primary law enforcement agency in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is an agency of the Government of New South Wales within the New South Wales Ministry for Police...
. Legal commentator Richard Ackland
Richard Ackland
Richard Ackland is an Australian journalist, publisher and lawyer, who has won many awards for his reporting.Ackland graduated with degrees in Economics and Law in the early 1970s and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales before going on to pursue a career in...
wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald that "I can't think of a solid reason why third parties should be told by the police that they are about to nab someone important."
On 7 November 2006 Orkopoulos was arrested and charged with 30 offences including involvement in child prostitution, sexual assault and supplying illegal drugs.
He was immediately sacked by Premier Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
as both a minister and member of the parliamentary Labor Party. Orkopoulos denied the charges but indicated that he would not contest his Swansea electorate at the 2007 state election. He resigned from Parliament on 13 November 2006 and reportedly attempted suicide the next day.
The Government also passed legislation to suspend or remove Parliamentary pension entitlements for any Member who resigns when charged with serious crimes prior to the resolution of charges. The provisions of the legislation permitted its retrospective application to Orkopoulos.
Further charges were laid against Orkopoulos on 16 April 2007. On 14 March 2008 he was found guilty of 28 offences relating to sexual assault of a minor, indecent assault and supplying heroin and cannabis. On 21 May 2008 Orkopoulos was sentenced to 13 years and 11 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 9 years and 3 months. In March 2009, he lodged a challenge against his conviction in the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal.