NSW government minister Milton Orkopoulos used drugs to "lure and trap" young boys

Orkopoulos, 50, is standing trial in the Newcastle District Court on 34 child sex and drug charges for offences dating back to 1995.
The former Labor member for Swansea on Tuesday pleaded guilty to one count of supplying cannabis and another of possessing child pornography but pleaded not guilty to a remaining 34 offences.Crown Prosecutor Helen Wilson told the court that Orkopoulos met his first victim through the Labor party in 1995 and won his trust by supplying him with alcohol, cannabis, and encouraging him to speak about his problems.Orkopoulos then hooked the boy on heroin, supplying him with the drug, needles and syringes and teaching him how to inject, Ms Wilson said.
Two other victims, aged 16 or younger, were also plied with alcohol and drugs and assaulted or forced into sex during the following decade, she said.
"What I expect that the evidence will show is that the accused used drugs to lure and trap these boys ... into sexual relations with him," Ms Wilson told the court.
A student who was in Year 12 and doing a leadership course at Parliament House in 2005 said Orkopoulos gave him a joint and they smoked it in a courtyard near his office.A fellow student who was with them at the time said he remembered the MP's words clearly.
"He said something like, 'this is where us politicians deal our drugs'," she said.
"He basically told me, 'just don't tell anyone'."
They then went to lunch with Newcastle MP Bryce Gaudry, the student said.The jury was told Mr Gaudry and fellow Labor party figures Jill Byrne and Jill Hall would give evidence at the four-week trial.