Through a Rotary Club sponsored program, Clayton Lush had built schools at villages in the Solomon Islands. He also hosted a Christmas carols show for the community, gave money to spina-bifida research. He also excelled as a rugby player. Lush, the father of two, also had a carpentry business and was the host of the Australian TV show Building Ideas. However, Lush's downfall would be sealed by the most common of the seven deadly sins: jealousy.

Lush, 41, was among 16 South Australians involved in a four-year, $40 million cannabis syndicate. Lush's lawyer told the court his client was working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and became envious when he did costly renovation work on the home of Storm Alexander Strang, the ring leader of the operation.

"It became apparent to Mr. Lush that Mr. Strang was involved in activities which perhaps could be unlawful, but he did not know what they were as he was looking at the lifestyle, he was looking at the fact Mr. Strang never appeared to work (and) seemed to have an awful lot of money to spend on the kind of activity at his home."