Federal judge Alexander Street investigated over alleged conflicts involving ex-wife’s freight firm and Chinese navy deal
Consensus Summary
A federal judge, Alexander 'Sandy' Street, is under investigation after a secret police taskforce, Polaris, probed his alleged involvement in his ex-wife Sally London’s freight firm, Send it Pink, which was linked to a controversial deal selling Penfolds Grange wine to Chinese naval officers aboard the Yuan Wang ship in 2016. The investigation, commissioned by Chief Justice William Alstergren in May 2026, follows a 2017 Polaris Taskforce report that raised concerns Street may have advised London on personal and business matters, potentially violating judicial conduct rules. The AFP referred the matter to the court in April 2026, revealing that the allegations had been buried for nearly a decade without notification to then-Attorney General George Brandis or Alstergren’s predecessor. While no wrongdoing by London or her partner Spencer Fletcher has been suggested, the taskforce suspected illicit activities by affiliates, including contraband smuggling. Street, a naval reservist and scion of Australia’s elite legal families, is prevented from commenting due to court rules, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Federal Circuit and Family Court Chief Justice William Alstergren commissioned an investigation into allegations about Judge Alexander 'Sandy' Street in May 2026
- The investigation was triggered by a 2017 confidential report from the Polaris Taskforce, which scrutinized Street’s conduct related to his ex-wife Sally London’s freight firm, Send it Pink
- Send it Pink was founded in 2015 by Sally London, two months after Street became a judge in 2015
- The firm was involved in a deal to sell millions of dollars of Penfolds Grange wine to senior Chinese naval officers aboard the People’s Liberation Army Navy ship Yuan Wang in 2016
- The Polaris Taskforce suspected that two affiliates of Send it Pink were seeking illicit tobacco or contraband from the Chinese naval officers, though London and her partner Spencer Fletcher were not implicated in wrongdoing
- The Australian Federal Police (AFP) referred the matter to the chief justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court in April 2026, marking the first time the court was made aware of the complaint
- Street is a reservist navy commander and scion of Australia’s most famous legal and establishment families, including the son of former NSW Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir Lawrence Street
- The judicial code of conduct requires judges to avoid conduct that might 'reasonably lower respect for their judicial office or cast doubt upon their impartiality'
- The allegations against Street include suspicions he advised London on personal, legal, and business matters that could conflict with his judicial obligations, including shielding her from legal claims
- The AFP never notified then-Attorney General George Brandis or Alstergren’s predecessor about the Polaris Taskforce’s concerns, which remained buried for nearly a decade
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The leaked email from London described the wine deal as involving '100% payment in cash' to the 'Chinese Navy Ship’s Captain at Fremantle Port'
- The Polaris Taskforce’s classified report was sent to federal police command in early 2017, with sources calling the allegations 'very serious'
- A former detective from the Polaris Taskforce stated he was 'prepared to give evidence to any formal inquiry' but could not discuss details due to legal restrictions
- The investigation into Street was prompted by a months-long investigation by THEAGE uncovering the Polaris Taskforce’s findings
- No additional unique details beyond THEAGE; both articles are identical in content
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Neither source provides conflicting information; both articles are identical in content and factual claims
Source Articles
Grange, the Chinese navy and a federal judge from a famous family: Police concerns prompt probe
This masthead has unearthed a taskforce’s scrutiny of a senior judicial officer and a business deal involving a freight firm’s plan to sell wine to foreign sailors.
Grange, the Chinese navy and a federal judge from a famous family: Police concerns prompt probe
This masthead has unearthed a taskforce’s scrutiny of a senior judicial officer and a business deal involving a freight firm’s plan to sell wine to foreign sailors.