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The future of federal Labor MP Belinda Neal was last night hanging by a thread as a former staffer prepared to air allegations on national television that could lead to serious criminal charges.
If convicted, Neal could be jailed and expelled from Parliament.
Even before any charges were proved in court, Neal would almost certainly be dumped by the Labor Party, following Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's warnings that no one's future in politics was guaranteed.
Neal's husband, New South Wales powerbroker and suspended Education Minister, John Della Bosca, also faces an uncertain future, with a police investigation yet to report on conflicting statutory declarations regarding an alleged incident at a restaurant in Gosford, north of Sydney, three weeks ago. Neal and Della Bosca were alleged to have used obscene language to abuse and threaten staff at Iguanas.
Statutory declarations by staff were later withdrawn by Iguanas' owners, who also apologised to Della Bosca.
Denials by Della Bosca and Neal were supported by statutory declarations from friends, contradicting those of the staff. But Della Bosca was suspended by NSW Premier Morris Iemma after it emerged he had drafted the restaurant's apology.
It has also been revealed that Neal withheld three of four statutory declarations made by her dining companions: those of staffer Melissa Batten, her husband David, and another staffer. Batten later quit her job.
NSW police are investigating the declarations and have warned that if any were falsely sworn, those responsible could face charges carrying sentences of up to four years jail.
Last night Batten was to appear on A Current Affair, defying a police request not to speak about her declaration to the programme. It was expected to allege that the seven statutory declarations sworn by Della Bosca and Neal had been made at the same time in Neal's office.
The Sydney Morning Herald said it understood Batten would claim that Neal, who worked as a solicitor before entering Parliament, instructed staff on what should be included and what was to be omitted. If correct, police could consider charging Neal with conspiring to pervert the course of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years jail.
