Page 766 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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MR COLLAERY: I thank the member opposite. The casino process has gone on for a long time. The Government has made public its intention to keep it at arm's length. Those involved in the process may well be people who inhabit this city or other cities. They may well be people who cross all of our tracks from time to time in other guises, in other circumstances. It ill behoves Mr Moore to make a suggestion such as he did without indicating the nature of the meeting. Ministers can meet any number of developers, hoteliers, entrepreneurs in the course of social meets and the rest. It is most important that Mr Moore make clear why he chose to raise this, and make clear the evidence that he has that suggests that any meeting which he believed took place with principals - presuming that he knows who the principals are - was, as he implied, sinister. He said in the house:
... can the Chief Minister tell us how he would react if he was aware that one of his Ministers was not maintaining that arm's length involvement?
He went on to say these words:
Are you aware, Chief Minister, that towards the end of 1990 -
there is a word missing on the tape -
and during the week commencing 24 February at least one of your Ministers met with the principals of firms involved in the tendering for the casino and that the Chief Law Officer has found it necessary to advise one of your Ministers that he, the Chief Law Officer, does not wish to be informed of such clandestine meetings since such information jeopardises your commitment, Chief Minister, to the tendering process remaining at arm's length from the Executive?
At this stage my Chief Law Officer knows nothing of what Mr Moore is saying. It is important that Mr Moore clarify his statements. Perhaps a clarification is all that is required, and then a simple explanation can be given. But the fact is that this should not be allowed unfinished to taint the Government, this Assembly and that process. It should be done today.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Sitting suspended from 5.28 to 8.00 pm
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