Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe sends herself to privileges committee

An Australian senator has sent herself to the nation’s privileges committee over an undisclosed relationship

Australian Greens Senator Lydia Thorpe will refer herself to parliament’s powerful privileges committee.

Ms Thorpe made the decision after an undisclosed relationship with a former member of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang became public.

The Australian Senator said she had not been open about the relationship because she was concerned about how it would be “twisted and used against” her.

The relationship ended several years ago. But the senator said she had only recently become aware of the Rebels’ “criminal associations”.

Ms Thorpe said the Greens Party Room backed her decision, and is “more than willing to participate in any inquiry”.

The relationship with the former bikie boss Dean Martin took place as Ms Thorpe sat on the nation’s law enforcement committee.

Labor senator Helen Polley is the current chair of the law enforcement committee, who launched an internal investigation into any potential conflicts of interest last week.

The body has the power to recommend a senator be suspended or expelled from parliament entirely.