Former Trust Director Charged with $148K Theft

0:00A former managing director of the National Trust in Tasmania faces charges for allegedly stealing goods worth about $148,000 from the organization. Matthew Paul Smithies, who was 63, worked in the role from late 2014 until he left in late 2020 and resigned. Next year, the thefts are set to have happened over seven years from 2014 to 2021. Many outlets have won a long battle to lift a court suppression order that had kept the story under wraps since the charges were filed in November, 2023. Items allegedly taken include a grandfather clock, a mahogany dining table, a jewelry box, and more than ten chairs from historic properties owned by The Trust. The suppression was first put in place over concerns for Smithies' mental health, but a magistrate turned down an extension early this year. Those organizations like the ABC pushback hard, arguing for open justice, even as appeals dragged on and kept reporters out of the loop on court.

1:02Dates Today in Hobart Supreme Court, the order was finally vacated when Smithies' legal team chose not to file another appeal. Court staff couldn't confirm if he's entered a plea yet, and past restrictions had media kicked out of open hearings at times. With the details now public, questions linger about how such thefts went unnoticed for so long at a key heritage group protecting Tasmania's historic sites. That's your update from Sydney News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.