A CANDIDATE standing for the seat of Bendigo in next week’s federal election has been sentenced for drug crimes and is a convicted thief.
Independent Adam Veitch faced charges of trafficking ecstasy, use and possession of the party drug, possessing amphetamines and two counts of theft in the Bendigo Magistrate’s Court in 2004.
He was found guilty of possessing ecstasy, amphetamines and two counts of theft and served his two-month sentence in the form of an intensive corrections order.
An ICO involves unpaid community work, drug, psychiatric, alcohol or other counselling and requires the offender to report to the specified Community Corrections Centre at least twice every week.
Mr Veitch also has prior convictions for theft of a motor car and traffic offences dating back to 1998.
The 31-year-old father of two this week acknowledged his criminal history, telling the Bendigo Weekly he could not change his past and he had learned from his mistakes.
“I can see society going wrong ... I was part of it,” he said.
“I wasn’t sitting back watching what was happening, I was in the mix.
“Drugs are a big problem in Bendigo and no one wants to talk about it.”
Mr Veitch said the drug offences occurrred during a low point in his life.
He had separated from his fiancee and was experiencing depression.
“People take drugs to escape reality,” he said.
“It was my only chance to get a breath of air ... then you get caught up in the culture and the next thing you know you’re waking up in the police cells.
“It could happen to anyone.
“But I’ve now got a clean slate, it’s done with and dealt with.”
According to the candidate’s handbook issued by the Australian Electoral Commission, only those who have been convicted and are under sentence, or subject to be sentenced, for any offence punishable under the law of the Commonwealth or of a State by imprisonment for one year or longer are disqualified from nominating in the federal election.
Mr Veitch said he hoped to gain votes because of his non-political approach to his campaign.
“I have no time at all for political parties and their propaganda,” he said.