Most people have some incident in their past that they would rather forget, but it seems that a skeleton in new Premier Nathan Rees's cupboard is rattling it's bones and causing him grief.
Before he won a seat in parliament Rees was chief of staff for Milton Orkopoulos, the member for Newcastle - now a prisoner serving a long sentence for paedophilia.
At his trial it was revealed that Orkopoulos dealt drugs and abused young boys in his parliamentary office and elsewhere. His conduct was an open secret around state parliament - and now Rees is being pressed to reveal what he knew - and when he knew it ?
Rees agrees that there were rumours and strange goings on, but he also claims that when he raised this matter with senior ALP figures he was told " that if you are seeking a political career that would not be an intelligent question to ask ".
Paedophilia is one of the worst crimes imaginable - and yet it is something that has been swept under the carpet for decades. Doctors, teachers, even serving police officers see signs of this vile crime and choose to turn away and do and say nothing.
The usual human defences are trotted out. " I did not want to get involved ". " It was no business of mine ".
Paedophilia will flourish as long as this attitude prevails. The sad thing is that the few courageous folk who drag it kicking and screaming into the open are let down by people in the higher walks of life who elect to look the other way.
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