Bernardi in hot water over far right group

27 Jan 2013, 3:52 pm   -   Source: AAP

Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is facing questions over his links to an extreme right-wing American lobby group.

Controversial Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is in hot water for failing to officially declare his ties to an extreme right-wing American lobby group.

Senator Bernardi is an international delegate of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an anti-gun control and pro-tobacco group, but has not disclosed the information on his register of interests, Fairfax reported on Sunday.

The group was involved in a High Court challenge against the Gillard government's plain packaging laws.

Senator Bernardi is facing calls to step down as chair of a standing committee of senators' interests that is charged with overseeing senators' declarations.

Australian Greens senator Richard Di Natale said Senator Bernardi must stand aside from the committee.

"The senators' interests committee exists to ensure there is transparency around politicians financial ties and benefits so by not fully disclosing his financial ties, Senator Bernardi has proven himself unfit to chair that committee," Senator Di Natale said in a statement.

He called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to sack Senator Bernardi from the job.

"Senator Bernardi's membership of the American Legislative Exchange Council tarnishes Australia's world leading tobacco control campaign," Senator Di Natale said.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek questioned whether tobacco plain packaging reforms would be safe under an Abbott-led government.

"Shocking but somehow not surprising - big tobacco and gun lobby influence at highest levels Tony Abbott's Liberal Party," she tweeted.

The Liberal Party have endorsed Senator Bernardi for its top spot for the party's South Australian senate ticket.

In September last year, he resigned as a parliamentary secretary after his comments linking same-sex marriage to bestiality.

He's also made waves over comments on Islam, asylum seekers and climate change.

Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese called on Mr Abbott to remove Senator Bernardi from his role on the committee.

"If Senator Bernardi, who is the number one candidate on the Liberal Party ticket in South Australia, is fair dinkum, he has to report his failure to declare his interest in this far right wing organisation to himself as the committee chair," Mr Albanese told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

"What an obvious conflict of interest.

"Corey Bernardi's position is quite frankly completely untenable and totally contrary to the views of Australians who supported John Howard's gun laws after the Port Arthur massacre."

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