Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party has endorsed a candidate prohibited from providing health services, following an investigation that found he “posed a risk to the health and safety of the public”.
The political party on its official candidates page also falsely claims that candidate David Sarikaya holds a PhD in psychology — which, in 2009, police found was purchased online.
Mr Sarikaya is running in the Sydney seat of Reid.
He was born Ali Davut Sarikaya, but has also gone by the name David Kaye.
In 2023, the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) issued a warning about the Trumpet of Patriots candidate that said it was “not safe” to receive counselling or health services from him, after receiving complaints from the public.
It followed a damning 2016 investigation by the HCCC that found Mr Sarikaya had misled clients over several years into believing he had relevant credentials to deliver counselling services, which was not the case.
“Mr Kaye has no formal qualifications in psychology or counselling,” the statement of decision reads.
“He does not have a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and he does not have a Graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology,” it said.
Clive Palmer is the chairman of the Trumpet of Patriots party. (AAP: Lukas Coch, file photo)
David Sarikaya’s candidate profile on the Trumpet of Patriots website continues to misrepresent his qualifications.
“Mr Sarikaya’s extensive background includes a PhD in psychology, numerous publications on mental health and resilience and leadership roles in various health and research institutions,” the profile reads.
“His dedication to mental health is evident through his work with the Australian Trauma Research Institute and his contributions to developing effective therapies for PTSD and depression,” it reads.
The HCCC in 2016 said evidence showed the candidate’s PhD was in theology and not related to his practice in counselling or psychology.
It said the doctorate was obtained from an American, online, non-accredited institution called “The American College of Metaphysical Theology (ACMT)” — which at the time had a decommissioned website.
Further, when NSW Police raided his home as part of an investigation into Mr Sarikaya’s conduct in 2009, they located a document that showed the PhD was purchased on the internet for “approximately $249”.
David Sarikaya applied to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to have the HCCC’s decision reviewed — which was dismissed.
In 2018, NCAT also made an order permanently prohibiting the candidate from providing any health service in either a paid or voluntary capacity.
Mr Sarikaya claims to have worked for the “Australian Trauma Research Institute”.
ABC NEWS Verify spoke to Mr Sarikaya, who didn’t want to be interviewed.
He sent through a statement on why he’s running for office and also sent dozens of links and documents, saying “the evidence speaks for itself”.
Among them was an email accusing various institutions, including the HCCC, of being involved in a “racially motivated character assassination campaign”.
Linked blog posts also hosted similar allegations, and some of the documents provided took swipes at education institutions from where he claimed to have qualifications.
The email he provided could be tracked to a website called “The ATRI Clinic”, which also lists his phone number.
The website advertises services such as individual therapy, and group therapy, though appointments couldn’t be booked through the site when ABC NEWS Verify viewed it.
In a statement to ABC NEWS Verify, the HCCC confirmed its investigation into the candidate remains ongoing.
In 2016, the HCCC said Mr Sarikaya started using the name David Kaye around 1997 — after he was convicted of fraud in Victoria and then declared himself bankrupt.
His candidacy raises questions about the Trumpet of Patriots vetting process — with other candidates attracting attention.
In the Queensland seat of Dickson, a man on bail for a number of serious offences, including stalking and weapons charges, is on the ballot paper.
The ABC reported that Michael Norman Jessop was arrested in July last year after police were called to reports of a man acting suspiciously outside a property on the Sunshine Coast.
Michael Jessop is listed as the Trumpet of Patriots candidate for Dickson. (Supplied, file photo)
Police allege they found weapons, and camouflage clothing, inside his car.
They further allege that during a further search, officers located a shovel, axe, gloves, duct tape, ropes and a cadaver bag.
Mr Jessop said he would fight what he described as “trumped-up” charges.
“I will stop at nothing short of a complete unconditional discharge,” he told the ABC.
Last week, the ABC reported that another Queensland-based Trumpet of Patriots candidate, Gabrial Pennicott, who is standing in Wide Bay, was bankrupt and jailed for fraud in 2011.
ABC NEWS Verify contacted the Trumpet of Patriots for a response, but it didn’t respond.
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