Page 1052 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 April 1994
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ACTTAB - Contract with VITAB Ltd
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is addressed to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for sport and racing. I refer the Minister to comments made by his predecessor, Mr Berry, on the Matthew Abraham program, when he said:
They then went on to attack the principals of VITAB and, of course, they have come up clean.
Can the Minister now confirm that that statement was wrong? Can he confirm to the house that Mr Cornelius Joseph McMahon was convicted in 1988 on a charge of "suffer betting" and fined $200 and put on a $200 good behaviour bond? If he can confirm this, thus proving that ACTTAB has entered into a contract with a person convicted of a gaming offence, will he immediately move to cancel the contract with VITAB?
MR LAMONT: I thank the member for his question, Madam Speaker. I am rather surprised that in three questions in a row the Liberals have stuck their neck on the line. The simple fact is, Mr De Domenico, as I will indicate to you - - -
Mr Humphries: We have asked only two.
MR LAMONT: There was a supplementary question which was a paltry excuse for a second question by Mrs Carnell. The simple fact is, Mr De Domenico, that the matter about which you have asked is subject to an inquiry being conducted by Professor Pearce. It would be improper of me to go into any of those matters until such time as that inquiry has had the opportunity of running its course. It would simply be wrong to comment about whether or not a contract should be terminated. In those circumstances it would be not only improper of me to answer but, I would suggest, improper of you to ask.
MR DE DOMENICO: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Can the Minister further confirm that Mr Peter James Bartholomew was not only charged and convicted for gaming and telecommunications offences but fined $2,500 and sentenced to a period of imprisonment? Will you now cancel the contract with VITAB?
MR LAMONT: Thank you for the supplementary question. I will again say it, Mr De Domenico. You may have information from your police Minister mate in Victoria, but I would suggest to you that the appropriate place for you to put any of that information is before the inquiry being conducted by Professor Pearce. You have been told that for the last two weeks. You are continuing to rake mud over this issue. The appropriate way for you and your ministerial colleagues in Melbourne to fix this issue, if they believe so passionately about it, is to agree to appear before the inquiry. Instead of sitting in this room raking the mud that you are, using your secret sources to try to blemish people, I suggest that you talk to your mates in Victoria and get them to appear before this inquiry. If you are trying to subvert the outcome of the inquiry, then you should, in fact, be condemned by everybody in this Assembly.
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