LIAM DURKIN
By LIAM DURKIN
FORMER Member for Morwell, Russell Northe will spend at least the next 12 months in jail.
Mr Northe was sentenced to 21 months jail in Melbourne’s County Court last Wednesday, with a non-parole period of 12 months.
The disgraced former MP previously pleaded guilty to two charges of misconduct while in public office.
Mr Northe was charged after using taxpayer cash for administration purposes to fuel his gambling addiction.
His actions, where he falsified a number of documents and set up fake expenses between 2019 and 2020, were described by Judge Michael McInerney as “sophisticated, protracted and brazen”.
Mr Northe was also charged late last year with 45 offences following an investigation from the Independent Broad Based Anti-Corruption Commission. These charges were dropped in January 2023 after he entered a guilty plea to misconduct in office.
Mr Northe falsely claimed $175,813.40 in public expenses, which he used on gambling services. It is estimated he accrued gambling debts of around $400,000.
The court heard how Mr Northe made more than 3000 bets alone in 2019, producing a net loss of more than $180,000.
The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to two misconduct charges in the Latrobe Valley County Court in September, following a number delays as he was deemed psychiatrically unfit to stand for trial.
At his sentencing last Wednesday, his lawyer Christin Tom mentioned Mr Northe had been granted leave from a psychiatric ward to attend his hearing.
Given this, Mr Tom argued a prison-sentence would only be detrimental to Mr Northe’s already crippled mental health, however, Judge McInerney saw otherwise.
“Having regard to the gravity of your offending I have decided that the only appropriate sentence … is that of imprisonment,” his Honour said.
“In my view, no other sentence would be appropriate.
“Analysis would demonstrate that it is unique in Victoria for a Member of Parliament to be charged with this offence.
“The prosecution have submitted that the offending in this case is in the upper range, and therefore deserving of a sentence of imprisonment.”
The guilty plea saved Mr Northe from more time behind bars, with Judge McInerney stating the former MP would have been sentenced to 36 months with a non-parole period of 22 months had he pleaded not guilty.
Mr Northe sat in court while his sentencing took place, not uttering a single word.
He appeared totally inconsolable as he sat alone in the dock, weeping for virtually the entire 90 minutes his sentencing took place.
Stooping low in a chair and with his left hand covering his face for most of the hearing, Mr Northe looked a shell of the man most had known as the local member of 16 years.
His appearance gave a tell-tale sign of a man who had been to dark places, and when approached by reporters before entering the court just before his sentencing commenced at 10.30am, all the former MP could muster was a meek “not today thanks”.
With most expecting Mr Northe to be handed a community corrections order, the final verdict was met with some shock from the gallery.
“The defence, while accepting the classification of the criminality, have submitted, in all of the circumstances, that an appropriate sentence can be effected by way of a community correction order, without incarceration,” his Honour said.
“I find that your criminality was sophisticated, protracted and brazen, in that you must have presumed, given your standing, that your applications would not be checked.
“You used your office as a means of hiding the manner in which you committed these crimes by lodging false documentation to support the claims for administrative expenditure funding, for an elected member of the Parliament of Victoria.”
“Indeed it appears that your fraudulent applications worked, however the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) were alerted in late 2020.”
Working in his defence, Mr Tom listed a number of character references provided for Mr Northe, including former Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood.
Judge McInerney acknowledged these and other factors in his sentencing remarks.
“From the character evidence tendered, it would appear that you were a hard working and excellent member,” his Honour said.
“Such occupation appears to have been made more difficult, in particular, by the Morwell pit fire of 2009 and the bushfires of 2019.
“It would appear you also had difficulties within your own party, as to differing aspirations. Certainly, such led to you resigning from the National Party and becoming an Independent Member at the 2018 election.
“Geographical isolation from your family seemed to have created difficulties, not only with the family, but with yourself.
“As a result of such difficulties, it would appear that you became socially isolated and found handling your role as a husband, father, Member and a Minister difficult.”
While he was distraught throughout the entire sentencing, Mr Northe let out his biggest cry at the mention of his children and daughter-in-law.
Such was his state, Judge McInerney allowed Mr Northe to sit while his verdict was being handed down – well against usual protocol, before saying “good luck Mr Northe” as he was taken down by custody officers.
The judge also advised a prison guard to put Mr Northe on suicide watch.
His Honour made mention of media interest in the case, yet Mr Tom did not wish to provide comment to reporters waiting outside.
Mr Northe served as the Member for Morwell from 2006 until retiring before the state election last year.
He served with the Nationals from 2006 until taking indefinite leave in 2017 to deal with depression.
Mr Northe quit the Nationals that same year, before returning as an Independent, where he won the 2018 state election.
Post politics, and most recently, he was working as a manager for Coles in Cowes.
If you or someone you know needs help call:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Better times: Russell Northe served as the Member for Morwell from 2006 to 2022. File photograph
Better times: Russell Northe served as the Member for Morwell from 2006 to 2022. File photograph
