Page 552 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 April 1994
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(b) the circumstances relating to the cancellation of the agreement between VicTAB and ACTTAB -
the matter over which there has been that concern -
(c) the involvement of the Minister for Sport, the staff and board of ACTTAB and any other official in relation to the agreement between ACTTAB and VITAB; and
(d) any other relevant matters.
They are very broad-ranging terms of reference, Madam Speaker, and, in my view, they ought to satisfy all of the concerns that have been expressed. Madam Speaker, I have put forward an argument for due process. We have established the inquiry, we have set it up appropriately and we believe that it ought to follow its course. I think the fact that Mrs Carnell and Mr De Domenico are asking the same questions and making the same allegations as they were back in March really emphasises the need for that inquiry to continue.
I think the best example of the kind of conflict that we are seeing coming forward is the letter that Mrs Carnell tabled from the Queensland TAB and some statutory declarations that Mr Berry will table about whether the Queensland TAB was ever interested in the VITAB deal. There is a clear conflict there, as there is in so many matters, and that sort of conflict can be settled, in my view, only by the inquiry. The Assembly simply cannot say that one side is lying. That is illogical and unfair. Madam Speaker, today we will hear that the basic conflicts between assertions made by the Opposition speakers and Mr Berry ought to be decided by this Assembly. I do not believe that that is the case. The Assembly has been asked to behave like a jury. That is totally inappropriate and it cannot be done.
As a further example, in relation to Mrs Carnell's points about the directors of VITAB, and particularly Mr McMahon, she has alleged that he has a criminal record. The AFP, Madam Speaker, have provided a certificate in relation to Mr McMahon and it says:
This is to certify that the above named -
that is Cornelius Joseph McMahon -
is not recorded in the Criminal indices of the Australian Federal Police.
There will be a great deal - - -
Mrs Carnell: I said that he had been charged.
Mr Berry: Blacken them. Just blacken them.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
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