An Australian MP is calling for a New Zealand man accused of multiple sex offences to be deported from Australia after he was found living on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Christchurch man Robert Thompson, 69, had been due to stand trial in 2023 on 18 charges related to alleged sexual abuse against six victims.
The case was halted after medical evidence presented to the court said he had been referred to a palliative care team and had only months to live.
Nine's A Current Affair earlier this week reported Thompson was living in a waterfront apartment in Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast.
Footage appeared to show Thompson moving around independently, including climbing several flights of stairs while walking his dog.
"I haven't made any recovery," he told reporters, adding that a recent holiday to the Philippines where video appeared to show him drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes had only been possible in a wheelchair.
Australian Federal MP Andrew Wallace, whose electorate includes part of the Sunshine Coast, said he had raised concerns in parliament about reports the accused offender was living in the community.
"The allegations against this individual are extremely serious and involve multiple alleged child victims over many years," Wallace said.
"Families in our community are asking a very simple question: how was this allowed to happen?
"How was this person able to enter Australia in the first place? Was the Department of Home Affairs aware of these allegations? Were appropriate character checks undertaken?
"The minister already has powers under the Migration Act to act on character grounds. Those powers should be used."
Wallace called on the Department of Home Affairs to cancel Thompson's visa, saying he should be removed from Australia.
"Community safety must always come first," he said.
Under Australian law, visas can be cancelled if a non-citizen is considered a potential risk to the health or safety of the community.
Thompson was a well-known face on New Zealand televisions in the 1990s, promoting his carpet company Ron's Discount Carpets.
He was charged with 18 counts of sexual offending against six alleged victims, four girls and two boys, between 1981 and 2002. The charges included indecent assault and rape, A Current Affair reported.
A further six victims came forward after a suppression order was lifted in the Blenheim District Court in 2024.
Thompson has vehemently denied the allegations.
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