Former federal MP Andrew Theophanous is suing the Commonwealth government in an attempt to get a retrial into his corruption and bribery convictions that are more than ten years old.

The lawsuit has come about after Mr Theophanous has asked the Attorney-General to consider his petition of mercy, a process he claims is being secretly and ”improperly” influenced by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

This is the latest in a series of legal bids and petitions made by Mr Theophanous to overturn his convictions and launch an inquiry into the conduct of the now-defunct National Crime Authority.

In 2002, the former Labor member was found guilty on four charges of bribery and conspiracy for seeking money for helping Chinese citizens who had overstayed their visas.

Andrew Theophanous was born in Paphos but went to Australia at an early age. Andrew Theophanous lectured at Melbourne State College,Melbourne University,University of Nevada USA and Monash University.Andrew was elected as the Labour member for the Melbourne Electorate of Burke in 1980.From 1989 to 1993 he was Chairman of the joint Standing Committee on Migration.In 1993 Theofanous was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and later Minister of Health and in 1994 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Paul Keating.In April 2000 because of the allegations and evidence of fraud and corruption he retired from the Labor Party.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald