Updated
One Nation's Malcolm Roberts will continue to seek
the advice of a one-time staffer during the Queensland election despite
him being committed to stand trial for rape.
The former senator is running in the state seat of Ipswich in a bid to resurrect his political career after the High Court ruled he was ineligible to sit in Federal Parliament as a dual UK citizen.Mr Roberts is in a hard-fought contest to unseat the sitting Labor member and Assistant Minister of State Jennifer Howard, who holds a sizeable margin of 16 per cent.
Last Thursday, it was revealed his adviser, Sean Black, was arrested and charged with rape in May and would face a trial in the Brisbane District Court.
Mr Black no longer works for Mr Roberts but he has been involved with his Ipswich campaign, including attending a media event and liaising with the ABC's 7.30 program about arranging an interview with the former senator.
Do you know more about this story? Email 7.30syd@your.abc.net.au
'I will continue to listen to Sean'
Mr Roberts has defended continuing to seek Mr Black's advice despite the serious nature of the charges.
"Why does the ABC raise that?" Mr Roberts said when asked about it.
"Are you saying that's wrong?
"They are very serious allegations and we need to protect women in this country but he, like every other person under a charge, is innocent until proven otherwise.
"It is wrong for you to introduce that topic because you are maligning him and you are contradicting the process of law in this country.
"I take advice from a number of people and I will listen to Sean, he has been very, very effective in his advice [and] I will continue to listen to Sean."
A date for Mr Black's trial has not been set.
'Roberts can do whatever he wants'
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson told reporters in Rockhampton she would not step in to request her former senator stop taking advice from Sean Black."I'm not getting involved in that, Malcolm Roberts can do whatever he wants to do," she said.
"Sean Black does not work for me or the party."
Senator Hanson added: "He may have allegations against him, those allegations will be proven in court, until then he's still innocent until proven guilty.
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