Page 658 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 April 1994
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reasons, not commercial reasons. I have tabled a letter from QTAB which clearly indicates this. Next time, Mr Berry, it would be a really good idea to get it from the horse's mouth. The Queensland TAB did not submit a proposal to VITAB. If VITAB tells you something, then it must be so, it seems - according to Mr Berry anyway, possibly according to Mr Neck as well. In fact, it is a bit like the WIN television jingle. According to Mr Berry, "I know everything I need to know 'cause Kolomanski told me so". It was also Dan Kolomanski who earlier today faxed Mr Berry the minutes of the alleged VITAB meeting of 10 October 1993 at which Michael Dowd was supposedly appointed as a director.
So ACTTAB's bid was the only one. The other States were not envious of this deal, as Mr Berry claimed in this Assembly on many occasions. Remember that the Minister told the house on 3 March:
... there is a lot of jealousy out there about this good deal that the ACT has done. The money is going to be in the bag in the ACT. Other places, other States, had the opportunity to look at this Vanuatu deal and the ACT got the jump on them.
Madam Speaker, the fact is that the ACT did not compete with any other TABs, because no other TAB put in a proposal. It is as simple as that.
That brings me to the fourth issue identified by Mr Berry, that of inducements. I was interested in one of the documents that Mr Berry tabled today, a letter from VITAB to ACTTAB dated 31 August 1993. For those who are interested, I think it is attached to Mr Neck's statutory declaration. Remember that this was written in August, before the contract was signed or finally negotiated. Point No. 2 states:
The principal objective of VITAB Limited is to establish a betting clientele principally from customers in countries other than Australia. However, please note that when transactions are processed in Vanuatu we may not be aware of the source of the bet and we will be accepting bets from Australia.
Oops! That flies in the face of the later letter, does it not? Point No. 5 - - -
Mr Berry: The later letter overtakes it.
MRS CARNELL: No. It says:
... we may not be aware of the source of the bet and we will be accepting - - -
Mr Berry: But they now require a statement.
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