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| Nick Xenophon sacks SA Best candidate Rhys Adams over domestic violence 'joke' | Nick Xenophon sacks SA Best candidate Rhys Adams over domestic violence 'joke' |
| (4 months later) | |
| Move comes after Facebook photo emerged of the candidate holding his fist to a wax model of pop star Rihanna | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Sat 7 Oct 2017 08.19 BST | |
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| South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon has sacked an SA Best candidate after a Facebook photo emerged of the man holding his fist to a wax model of pop star Rihanna. | South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon has sacked an SA Best candidate after a Facebook photo emerged of the man holding his fist to a wax model of pop star Rihanna. |
| Rhys Adams, Xenophon’s candidate for the Liberal-held seat of Finniss, was dropped after the ABC reported photos from Adams’ Facebook page appeared to show him holding his fist to a model of Rihanna and groping a model of Toni Collette in Sydney in 2015. | Rhys Adams, Xenophon’s candidate for the Liberal-held seat of Finniss, was dropped after the ABC reported photos from Adams’ Facebook page appeared to show him holding his fist to a model of Rihanna and groping a model of Toni Collette in Sydney in 2015. |
| Xenophon said: “I acted immediately. You cannot make a joke about domestic violence.” . | Xenophon said: “I acted immediately. You cannot make a joke about domestic violence.” . |
| In a statement, Adams said the photos showed him “doing stupid things with a juvenile sense of humour”. | In a statement, Adams said the photos showed him “doing stupid things with a juvenile sense of humour”. |
| “Back then I didn’t take into account those that may be hurt by a what I now reflect on as a very poor-taste joke which certainly doesn’t reflect my mindset or my values,” he said. | “Back then I didn’t take into account those that may be hurt by a what I now reflect on as a very poor-taste joke which certainly doesn’t reflect my mindset or my values,” he said. |
| “I am certainly sorry for any offence I’ve cause with previous Facebook posts and I wish the SA Best team the very best going forward.” | “I am certainly sorry for any offence I’ve cause with previous Facebook posts and I wish the SA Best team the very best going forward.” |
| Xenophon maintained SA Best’s vetting processes for candidates were sound. “The vetting process is a sound process because people go through extensive questions, police checks, background checks,” he said. | Xenophon maintained SA Best’s vetting processes for candidates were sound. “The vetting process is a sound process because people go through extensive questions, police checks, background checks,” he said. |
| “We already have social media vetting but this was missed. It should not have been missed and the fact it was missed is a very valuable lesson.” | “We already have social media vetting but this was missed. It should not have been missed and the fact it was missed is a very valuable lesson.” |
| The controversy comes a day after Xenophon announced he would leave federal politics to stand for his local Adelaide seat of Hartley. | The controversy comes a day after Xenophon announced he would leave federal politics to stand for his local Adelaide seat of Hartley. |
| His SA Best party will run candidates in other key seats in an attempt to seize the balance of power in state parliament next year. | His SA Best party will run candidates in other key seats in an attempt to seize the balance of power in state parliament next year. |
| National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero. | National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero. |
| Nick Xenophon | |
| South Australia | |
| Domestic violence | |
| news | |
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