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| Nova Peris denies misusing public funds to conduct affair with Ato Boldon | Nova Peris denies misusing public funds to conduct affair with Ato Boldon |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Labor senator Nova Peris has “categorically” rejected allegations she sought to misuse public funds to bring Olympian Ato Boldon to Australia in order to have an affair, after personal emails between the two were published on Wednesday. | Labor senator Nova Peris has “categorically” rejected allegations she sought to misuse public funds to bring Olympian Ato Boldon to Australia in order to have an affair, after personal emails between the two were published on Wednesday. |
| Boldon, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter who won four Olympic medals, including two at Sydney in 2000, labelled the NT News report a “gross fabrication”, and threatened legal action. | Boldon, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter who won four Olympic medals, including two at Sydney in 2000, labelled the NT News report a “gross fabrication”, and threatened legal action. |
| News Corp stood by the story as it dealt with “an issue of public importance,” a spokesman for the media organisation said. | News Corp stood by the story as it dealt with “an issue of public importance,” a spokesman for the media organisation said. |
| “Namely the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds. The emails, which we are satisfied are 100% legitimate, were volunteered to the NT News by a credible source.” | “Namely the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds. The emails, which we are satisfied are 100% legitimate, were volunteered to the NT News by a credible source.” |
| The emails published show intimate exchanges between Boldon and Peris, who at the time was an Athletics Australia ambassador and communications officer for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. She was then married to Daniel Batman. | The emails published show intimate exchanges between Boldon and Peris, who at the time was an Athletics Australia ambassador and communications officer for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. She was then married to Daniel Batman. |
| Peris is a former Olympian and Commonwealth Games competitor. In 2013 she became the first female Indigenous member of federal parliament after she was named by former prime minister Julia Gillard as her preferred Labor candidate for the Northern Territory, and won the subsequent election. | Peris is a former Olympian and Commonwealth Games competitor. In 2013 she became the first female Indigenous member of federal parliament after she was named by former prime minister Julia Gillard as her preferred Labor candidate for the Northern Territory, and won the subsequent election. |
| Peris had sought funds through Athletics Australia for Boldon to come to Australia in 2010 as part of the “Jump Start to London” young athletes program, as well as through various Indigenous groups, the Commonwealth Bank, Collingwood Football Club and Channel Ten, the NT News claimed. | Peris had sought funds through Athletics Australia for Boldon to come to Australia in 2010 as part of the “Jump Start to London” young athletes program, as well as through various Indigenous groups, the Commonwealth Bank, Collingwood Football Club and Channel Ten, the NT News claimed. |
| “Ato … tell me babe … what u want … Make a bit of money and spend time together … I will take time of from work to be with u,” read one email from Peris. | “Ato … tell me babe … what u want … Make a bit of money and spend time together … I will take time of from work to be with u,” read one email from Peris. |
| Boldon replied that the purpose of the visit was to take part in trials, do promotional work for Athletics Australia, and spend time with Peris. He said he’d need $15,000 as well as flights and accommodation, the NT News reported. | Boldon replied that the purpose of the visit was to take part in trials, do promotional work for Athletics Australia, and spend time with Peris. He said he’d need $15,000 as well as flights and accommodation, the NT News reported. |
| In one email Peris said it was “not in the budget” to bring out high-profile athletes so she was seeking grants from Indigenous organisations. | In one email Peris said it was “not in the budget” to bring out high-profile athletes so she was seeking grants from Indigenous organisations. |
| In other emails from Peris to Boldon she said the money from Indigenous grants is “rightly being used for the interest of Indigenous kids”, and talked of setting up a global foundation. | In other emails from Peris to Boldon she said the money from Indigenous grants is “rightly being used for the interest of Indigenous kids”, and talked of setting up a global foundation. |
| Boldon later responded: “I have a great feeling about all of this and now is the time as you know,” the report claims. | Boldon later responded: “I have a great feeling about all of this and now is the time as you know,” the report claims. |
| “So let’s do this and take care of your people and get paid well for it and have sports be the least of what we are known for when we are long gone.” | “So let’s do this and take care of your people and get paid well for it and have sports be the least of what we are known for when we are long gone.” |
| Athletics Australia confirmed to Guardian Australia that Boldon’s flights from Los Angeles and accommodation in Melbourne were paid for but said Boldon “capably fulfilled his role as mentor and ambassador and provided a boost to the profile of the program and for the sport of athletics in general”. | Athletics Australia confirmed to Guardian Australia that Boldon’s flights from Los Angeles and accommodation in Melbourne were paid for but said Boldon “capably fulfilled his role as mentor and ambassador and provided a boost to the profile of the program and for the sport of athletics in general”. |
| The spokesman said that Peris “played a role in establishing our initial contact with Mr Boldon”. | The spokesman said that Peris “played a role in establishing our initial contact with Mr Boldon”. |
| On the trip, Boldon also attended the 88th Australian Championships as a guest of Athletics Australia. | On the trip, Boldon also attended the 88th Australian Championships as a guest of Athletics Australia. |
| A spokesman for Peris said she “categorically rejects any wrongdoing” and that there was “no evidence” to suggest she had done anything wrong by bringing Boldon out to Australia. | A spokesman for Peris said she “categorically rejects any wrongdoing” and that there was “no evidence” to suggest she had done anything wrong by bringing Boldon out to Australia. |
| “Athletics Australia were absolutely thrilled with Ato coming out,” he said. | “Athletics Australia were absolutely thrilled with Ato coming out,” he said. |
| “The documents provided to the NT News were private, and it appears they were not lawfully obtained.” | “The documents provided to the NT News were private, and it appears they were not lawfully obtained.” |
| Peris would not be commenting on private matters, he said. | Peris would not be commenting on private matters, he said. |
| Boldon also hit out at the News Corp publication. | Boldon also hit out at the News Corp publication. |
| “Nova Peris is a former training partner of mine and has been a friend for almost 20 years,” he said in a statement released through social media. | “Nova Peris is a former training partner of mine and has been a friend for almost 20 years,” he said in a statement released through social media. |
| “My trip to Australia almost five years ago was for the purpose of holding several youth clinics and it was a successful undertaking. The trip was co-organised by one of my now-deceased colleagues at Athletics Australia. | “My trip to Australia almost five years ago was for the purpose of holding several youth clinics and it was a successful undertaking. The trip was co-organised by one of my now-deceased colleagues at Athletics Australia. |
| “The article recently written by the Northern Territory News include gross fabrications. | “The article recently written by the Northern Territory News include gross fabrications. |
| “I will be following the senator’s lead, including, but not limited to, pursuing all legal action possible for this malicious misrepresentation of the details surrounding my presence in Australia in 2010.” | “I will be following the senator’s lead, including, but not limited to, pursuing all legal action possible for this malicious misrepresentation of the details surrounding my presence in Australia in 2010.” |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Peris had the “resolute” support and confidence of the Labor party. He said he had spoken with Peris “at length” and she had denied any wrongdoing. | The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Peris had the “resolute” support and confidence of the Labor party. He said he had spoken with Peris “at length” and she had denied any wrongdoing. |
| “She is a remarkable Australian,” he said. “She has my support and the support of the Labor caucus. She has made Australians more proud to be Australians with her athletic endeavours. Perhaps more significant is the contribution she has made to the NT and to the case for a better life for Indigenous Australians.” | “She is a remarkable Australian,” he said. “She has my support and the support of the Labor caucus. She has made Australians more proud to be Australians with her athletic endeavours. Perhaps more significant is the contribution she has made to the NT and to the case for a better life for Indigenous Australians.” |
| He also reiterated his earlier statements to ABC radio that: “These are matters which are deeply personal to senator Peris and predate her time in parliament,” adding that he “certainly shan’t be commenting on the personal nature of these matters.” | He also reiterated his earlier statements to ABC radio that: “These are matters which are deeply personal to senator Peris and predate her time in parliament,” adding that he “certainly shan’t be commenting on the personal nature of these matters.” |
| Labor senate leader Penny Wong said Peris had her full support and slammed the publication of the private emails. | Labor senate leader Penny Wong said Peris had her full support and slammed the publication of the private emails. |
| “There is no public interest in the publication of private correspondence today that bears no relationship whatsoever to Senator Peris’ role as a parliamentarian,” said Wong in a statement. | “There is no public interest in the publication of private correspondence today that bears no relationship whatsoever to Senator Peris’ role as a parliamentarian,” said Wong in a statement. |
| “These media reports represent a gross invasion of Senator Peris’ privacy. Australians – public figures and the wider community – deserve better.” | “These media reports represent a gross invasion of Senator Peris’ privacy. Australians – public figures and the wider community – deserve better.” |
| The former Labor party president and current chairman of the prime minister’s Indigenous advisory council, Warren Mundine, said the personal elements of the emails should have remained private, but Peris did have questions to answer. | The former Labor party president and current chairman of the prime minister’s Indigenous advisory council, Warren Mundine, said the personal elements of the emails should have remained private, but Peris did have questions to answer. |
| “What people do in their privacy is their own business,” Mundine told ABC radio. | “What people do in their privacy is their own business,” Mundine told ABC radio. |
| “We don’t have moral police in Australia. And the only thing that’s of interest is whether the taxpayers got bang for the dollar. You know, he got this trip out here; he did the job and it was a successful outcome and that’s what we should be looking at. | “We don’t have moral police in Australia. And the only thing that’s of interest is whether the taxpayers got bang for the dollar. You know, he got this trip out here; he did the job and it was a successful outcome and that’s what we should be looking at. |
| Labor MP Ed Husic said the issue of publicising the private lives of politicians is a “grey area.” | |
| “In terms of this, digging back the way they did. If Nova had make a wrong call on policy or had done something in breach of entitlements here as a senator, we all have to face the questions and face the grilling. As I said, she will deal with it in due course, but I want to reinforce the point that I feel honoured to be able to work with someone like her.” | |
| The Northern Territory shadow attorney general, Michael Gunner, said he can’t comment on the “personal matters” but that he respects her work as a senator. | |
| “I wasn’t there, and I’m not aware of what happened with Nova as a senator, but I know … that she’s done her job well and she’s been a good senator for the Northern Territory,” said Gunner, who added he felt sympathy for Peris and others in the article who had to deal with the publication of the emails. | |
| “Sometimes emails will fall into the public interest, and sometimes they will fall into what the public are interested in,” he said. | |
| “That’s a constant test that journalists and editors are going to have to go through for a long time.” |
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