Page 3202 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
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MR MOORE: Mr Collaery, I am glad you raised the fish farm, because at no stage did I suggest that there was corruption there. You can go back through the Hansard and you will find that. And what is more - - -
Mr Collaery: Well, why did you get up and apologise for it?
MR MOORE: As you look at the committee report, Mr Collaery - and as members here will recall - you will see that I did exactly as you said. I apologised publicly and said that I was wrong in that. That is the only time I have done so in this house, and perhaps, Mr Collaery, if you had the same sort of guts you would be prepared to say that you had been wrong about those things and put your apologies.
I wrote further:
Even so, to set up a full Commission to investigate corruption is an almost hysterical over-reaction. It would be very much a case of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The allegations we have now, the rumours, the speculations were too few and too thin to do anything other than to ask a currently available body within government to extend its functions and take in corruption issues. The prime requirement is that this body should have the powers to obtain evidence and to protect witnesses by taking evidence in camera.
No doubt Mr Collaery will continue in this parliament with his innuendo and slur campaign on me, as he has done on many occasions in the past, and as he has done on many others in the past. But, Mr Collaery, people in this community recognise you for what you are, and it will achieve absolutely nothing.
Mr Kaine: A thoroughly nice chap.
MR MOORE: I am glad you mention that, Mr Kaine, because I realise it is your responsibility to say that. My submission continued:
This can be met by asking an Assembly Committee to do the job, preferably a Standing Committee to assure the public, those who may have evidence to provide and those engaged in (or thinking of engaging in) corrupt behaviour that uncovering corruption is a serious and long-term concern.
My view at the time was, and my view now is, that such a body is unnecessary. So, Mr Collaery, you have the opposition that you asked for. However, I do recognise that at least what the Public Accounts Committee has come up with and the response we expect from the Government is a very minimal committee against corruption or ICAC - certainly not one along the lines of the Hong Kong or New
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