MA Services Group senior manager charged over threats to Age journalist Nick McKenzie
A senior executive at bike-related security company MA Services Group has been accused of threatening the safety of investigative journalist Nick McKenzie following an alleged search of his home on Christmas Eve.
Victoria Police said a 31-year-old man from Melbourne’s north-west has been charged with two counts of using a transport service with intent to threaten/criminalize by detectives from Taskforce Hawk, the special unit set up to investigate crime and corruption linked to the construction industry.
Age And Sydney Morning Herald It published a series of stories detailing MA Services Group’s alleged links to a cycling club, its subcontractors being accused of tax evasion and worker exploitation, and a sexual harassment scandal involving its founder Micky Ahuja.
McKenzie is a multi-award-winning journalist. Age, Sydney Morning Herald And 60 Minutes.
MA Services Group has a number of lucrative but controversial contracts that provide protection. Immigration detainees on the Pacific island of Nauru and for a number of Commonwealth government agencies, including Australia’s top crime intelligence agency.
A search warrant was executed at a residential address in the suburb of Fraser Rise at around 7am on Wednesday; where a 31-year-old man was arrested, interrogated and charged by the police.
“Investigators will allege he made a threatening phone call to a journalist on the morning of December 24,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.
Adam was national business development manager for MA Services Group.
Group that also owns Security contracts with AFL clubs, Coles, Kmart, Bunnings, Dan Murphy’s, Amazon, University of Sydney and Melbourne Formula 1 racingcollapsed into voluntary administration just two days before Christmas.
The alleged threatening call was made the next morning.
“Reporting on MA Services is undoubtedly in the public interest and journalists should be free to do this important work without fear of threats and intimidation.” Age editor Patrick Elligett said.
Ahuja resigned as chief executive officer in early December after this imprint emerged. sexual harassment allegationsbullying and offering money for sex to vulnerable women.
The latest threat to McKenzie followed a security incident in October, when an unidentified man broke into his home through the roof and attempted to disable the CCTV system.
Police believe the break-in occurred as a result of surveillance of the property. No one was charged.
McKenzie also leads the media group’s reporting on crime and corruption in the construction industry, known as the CFMEU. Bad Building sherry. He won the Gold Walkley award, the country’s highest journalism award, for his reporting in November.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at: www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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