Former National Trust boss charged with stealing $148k of goods

The National Trust owns several properties in Tasmania, including Franklin House. (Wikimedia Commons)

In short:

The former Tasmanian managing director of the National Trust is accused of stealing $140,000 worth of items from his then-workplace.

Matthew Paul Smithies was charged by police in 2023, but until now the court had banned journalists from reporting on the matter

What's next?

The Supreme Court of Tasmania was unable to confirm whether the 63-year-old has entered a plea to the charges.

The former managing director of the National Trust in Tasmania has been charged with allegedly stealing more than $140,000 worth of goods from his then employer.

Media have successfully fought a years-long suppression order that banned outlets from reporting the crimes allegedly committed by the former state manager, Matthew Paul Smithies.

The Supreme Court of Tasmania order cited welfare risks to Mr Smithies, but it was lifted today.

According to court documents, Tasmania Police alleged he stole items worth approximately $148,000 from the National Trust between 2014 and 2021.

The items included a grandfather clock, a mahogany extension dining table, a jewellery box, and more than 10 chairs.

Mr Smithies, 63, was originally charged in November 2023.

The National Trust is the peak heritage body in Australia, with state and territory branches working to protect heritage places, structures, lands, environments and objects for the public benefit.

The Tasmanian branch owns eight historic properties, including Clarendon Estate and Franklin House in the state's north.

The properties contain historic furniture and other items owned by the National Trust.

Mr Smithies was appointed managing director in December 2014, according to its 2014-15 annual report.

In a report from National Trust Tasmania chair Nicholas Heyward in 2021, Mr Smithies left his role in December 2020 and resigned in July 2021.

Matthew Smithies was appointed managing director in December 2014, and left the role in 2020 before resigning in 2021, according to National Trust reports. (ABC News: Carla Howarth)

Case kept secret

The initial suppression order was granted on mental health grounds, before Mr Smithies's first appearance in January 2024.

In February 2024, Magistrate Simon Brown refused an application from Mr Smithies to continue the suppression order — a decision that was appealed in the Supreme Court.

The ABC and the Examiner newspaper made submissions to the Supreme Court arguing for the appeal to be dismissed in the interests of open justice.

Supreme Court Justice Robert Pearce dismissed Mr Smithies's appeal in November 2024, but his legal team appealed that decision, meaning the matter has remained suppressed.

"No error is demonstrated in the conclusion reached by the magistrate and the motion will be dismissed," Justice Pearce wrote in his original decision.

Mr Smithies's lawyer Kim Baumeler told the Supreme Court in Hobart today that her client did not attend to file another appeal notice, prompting Chief Justice Chris Shanahan to vacate the order.

The court was unable to confirm whether Mr Smithies had entered a plea to the charges.

Due to the suppression order, court staff refused to let news organisations know when Mr Smithies was appearing, and, on at least one occasion, directed members of the media to leave the court room — despite it being an open court.

The suppression order prevented details of the matter from being published but did not say members of the media or the public were unable to attend court proceedings.