Aussie MP ‘hides’ in Bali from slush fund scandal

Australian Labor MP Cesar Melhem has the flown the coop, leaving his work behind in Oz in exchange for a sordid vacay in Bali.

Melhem’s trips comes right in the midst of a royal commission probe into his $500,000 slush fund. He was last seen lounging on the beach in Kuta with his family, according to the tabloid the Herald Sun. 

Last month a royal commission investigated Melhem’s Industry 2020 slush fund for trade union corruption. After amassing up to $500,000, Melhem used these funds for “progressive” causes in the Labor Party, such as $1001 worth of cigars and thousands more on hotels, food and drink. 

There is an apparent disapproval from Melhem’s colleagues with an up and coming election on November 29, a key time for his party to earn back some power. 

The Sun quoted another Labor MP as saying, “The only good thing about this is that he’s out of the country.”

Melhem’s story is that the trip is for family time. “I promised the kids a week away, that was the deal. What’s the crime?”. A bit reminiscent of all the Obama vacation time, like in Martha’s Vineyard, no?