Page 979 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 1991
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Government. In fact, it did have some trustee-type role, and that is adequately set out in the Auditor-General's report, in chapter 5. But as I indicated - I believe, last night or on Sunday night on television - the trust itself included the chief executive officer of the Canberra Raiders. As such it could hardly be said, in the day-to-day hiring arrangements and the rest, that the trust was at arm's length from the group who, in fact, were the main hirers of it.
Given that circumstance, if and when the Government decides to recreate a trust to deal with the stadium and any other public fixture, we would give consideration to the wisdom of appointing to the board of governors, as it were, a member of the very hiring group to consider such issues as hiring charges and the rest. That is a circumstance that, in my view, needs to be kept always at arm's length from government, as trusts have been in Sydney and Melbourne.
Mr Speaker, to go back to the earlier issue, the Opposition has just been attacking our budget; but let me assure it that the minor disturbances that have occurred in a couple of the programs of some of the Ministers have nothing on the issues and events that will be revealed in due course about Labor's handling of the Bruce Stadium contract.
Casino Project
MS FOLLETT: My question is to Mr Kaine. Mr Kaine, on 13 March in the Assembly, Mr Collaery said, in relation to allegations raised by Mr Moore, that it was your responsibility as Chief Minister to determine whether a National Crime Authority investigation was appropriate to clear the air. I ask you, Mr Kaine: Have you decided to refer the matter to the NCA, and, if not, why not?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, because of the potentially serious nature of the accusations and the unsubstantiated allegations that Mr Moore made, I have initiated contact with the chairman of the National Crime Authority, and I will be determining, in conjunction with him, whether or not there is sufficient substance in what Mr Moore said for the NCA to take on that inquiry. The preliminary indications are that that is not the case. But until I have spoken personally with the chairman, which I expect to do within the next day or so, I would prefer to leave the matter in abeyance. Of course, I will inform the house if there is any necessity for any further action on that matter.
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