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Milton Orkopoulos
Milton Orkopoulos (born 22 July 1957) is an Australian convicted sex offender and former politician. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2006, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.
In November 2006, Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma sacked Orkopoulos as a Minister and expelled him from the Australian Labor Party 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 9 months in jail. He was paroled in December 2019, but was re-detained in January 2020 after failing to comply with his parole conditions. Orkopoulos was sentenced to a further 20 years in jail in November 2023, after being charged with sexually abusing and supplying drugs to four other young children.
Orkopoulos, an Australian of Greek descent briefly trained as a nurse before studying arts at the University of Newcastle, though he did not graduate. He went on to work for BHP and as an electorate officer for MPs Peter Morris, Don Bowman and Jill Hall. He was married with three children.
From 1995 until 1999, Orkopoulos represented the ALP on Lake Macquarie City Council. 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 low-profile portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs and Citizenship.
Former NSW Premier, Nathan Rees, served as his Chief of Staff before joining the staff of Premier Morris Iemma in 2006.
On 5 November 2006, police minister John Watkins was informed by police commissioner Ken Moroney that Orkopoulos was about to be charged with child sex offences. Moroney later explained that the Orkopoulos 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 charged, among other things, with assaulting two underage boys and a third young male, and using taxpayers' money to pay a teenage boy to have sex with him.
Premier Morris Iemma immediately sacked him from Cabinet, and he was also expelled from the 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.
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Milton Orkopoulos
Milton Orkopoulos (born 22 July 1957) is an Australian convicted sex offender and former politician. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2006, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.
In November 2006, Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma sacked Orkopoulos as a Minister and expelled him from the Australian Labor Party 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 9 months in jail. He was paroled in December 2019, but was re-detained in January 2020 after failing to comply with his parole conditions. Orkopoulos was sentenced to a further 20 years in jail in November 2023, after being charged with sexually abusing and supplying drugs to four other young children.
Orkopoulos, an Australian of Greek descent briefly trained as a nurse before studying arts at the University of Newcastle, though he did not graduate. He went on to work for BHP and as an electorate officer for MPs Peter Morris, Don Bowman and Jill Hall. He was married with three children.
From 1995 until 1999, Orkopoulos represented the ALP on Lake Macquarie City Council. 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 low-profile portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs and Citizenship.
Former NSW Premier, Nathan Rees, served as his Chief of Staff before joining the staff of Premier Morris Iemma in 2006.
On 5 November 2006, police minister John Watkins was informed by police commissioner Ken Moroney that Orkopoulos was about to be charged with child sex offences. Moroney later explained that the Orkopoulos 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 charged, among other things, with assaulting two underage boys and a third young male, and using taxpayers' money to pay a teenage boy to have sex with him.
Premier Morris Iemma immediately sacked him from Cabinet, and he was also expelled from the 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.