Page 497 - Week 02 - Thursday, 22 February 1990
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This statement implied that anybody else involved in this process was not honest or was dishonest. He said that prior to leaving the Administration Mr Hedley was linked with the tender process of the Belconnen Mall. He referred to outrageous rents charged by Mr Hedley at Thetis Court and referred to Mr Hedley's subordinates being involved in a back finance deal and the construction of APUs, and the same official purchasing a house in Canberra Avenue which is likely to be rezoned as we all know.
The situation then was that, naturally, these 11 allegations naturally, invited a response from Mr Hedley. Mr Hedley did so respond and he sent a letter to you, Mr Speaker, and he sent a copy of his letter to the then Leader of the Opposition, Trevor Kaine, who to his credit raised that matter in the Assembly on 27 June. On the 27 June Mr Kaine in the adjournment debate sought leave of the Assembly to table the document in response to the issues raised by Mr Collaery.
But even then Mr Collaery was not satisfied. He tried to prevent that process. If you look at the Hansard of that day he implied in the process that this was a ploy on the part of Mr Hedley to have this matter introduced into the Assembly to prevent prosecution in the courts. He said:
The first observation I would make -
This was after Trevor Kaine had made his speech -
is that this has been a very shrewd move by Mr Hedley because in granting this leave we have, in effect, made, prejudged and prevented, by way of the rules of evidence in most courts in this land, a full and proper examination of these issues ... this tabling has precluded probably, and has made it difficult for, any court of law at any time examining the matter properly.
We see then that the attacks on the leasehold have come through in a pattern of attacks on individual cases, none of which has been substantiated.
In conclusion, I draw attention to an editorial in the Canberra Times on 7 July where it referred specifically to the credibility of Mr Collaery. I do not have time to complete this in detail, but it does refer to Mr Collaery as having now gone over the threshold. It has just discussed the allegations that he has made and it goes on to say that the matters cannot rest there:
Mr Collaery's credibility must take a severe battering. In those circumstances he cannot walk away unscathed saying that he is only asking innocent questions ... With privilege goes responsibility and accountability. If that responsibility is not exercised properly the consequences will fall back upon them and the person not acting responsibly.
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