Lockhart River and the bottle of wine affair.
Thread Starter
Lockhart River and the bottle of wine affair.
Queensland Crime & Missconduct Commission
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 22 April 2004
CMC Reports on Lockhart River Wine Investigation
The Crime and Misconduct Commission has found no evidence of official misconduct by the Premier, the Director-General or the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy,
in relation to the presence of a bottle of wine on a Queensland Government aircraft at the Lockhart River airport in March this year.
Lockhart River is a restricted area under the Liquor Act which generally means that no alcohol may be taken into a public place in the area.
Allegations were made by Ms Teresa Mullan, a former adviser to the Minister, that the Minister and the Director-General had been aware of the presence of the wine and had misled police about their knowledge of it.
It was alleged the Premier and Minister gave untruthful accounts in public concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft.
The CMC today advised the parties of its findings after thoroughly examining the events from the point of view of whether official misconduct took place. All critical interviews were conducted under oath.
The Commission concluded that the following allegations made by Ms Mullan were unsubstantiated:
„« that the Premier and Minister gave untruthful accounts in public concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft;
„« that the Director-General and the Minister misled police concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft;
„« that there was political interference in the police investigation; and
„« that there was official misconduct associated with the offer of employment to Ms Mullan in the wake of her dismissal.
The CMC did not investigate whether any offences had been committed under the Liquor Act as this was handled by the Queensland Police Service.
The CMC has been advised by the Commissioner of Police that he is of the opinion that there was no offence under the Liquor Act. The CMC agrees with the Commissionerˇ¦s view.
The CMC has found no evidence of any criminal offence or official misconduct by any person.
There is evidence which, if accepted, would indicate that four officers gave misleading information to the police about the wine but in light of the decision of the Commissioner of Police and for the other reasons given in the report, the CMC has not recommended disciplinary action against these officers.
This media release and the full report are available on our website: www.cmc.qld.gov.au
Further Information:
Stewart Sommerlad ˇV Manager, Media and Communications
Ph: 07 3360 6344 Mobile: 0407 373 803 Fax: 3360 6235
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 22 April 2004
CMC Reports on Lockhart River Wine Investigation
The Crime and Misconduct Commission has found no evidence of official misconduct by the Premier, the Director-General or the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy,
in relation to the presence of a bottle of wine on a Queensland Government aircraft at the Lockhart River airport in March this year.
Lockhart River is a restricted area under the Liquor Act which generally means that no alcohol may be taken into a public place in the area.
Allegations were made by Ms Teresa Mullan, a former adviser to the Minister, that the Minister and the Director-General had been aware of the presence of the wine and had misled police about their knowledge of it.
It was alleged the Premier and Minister gave untruthful accounts in public concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft.
The CMC today advised the parties of its findings after thoroughly examining the events from the point of view of whether official misconduct took place. All critical interviews were conducted under oath.
The Commission concluded that the following allegations made by Ms Mullan were unsubstantiated:
„« that the Premier and Minister gave untruthful accounts in public concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft;
„« that the Director-General and the Minister misled police concerning their knowledge of the presence of wine on the aircraft;
„« that there was political interference in the police investigation; and
„« that there was official misconduct associated with the offer of employment to Ms Mullan in the wake of her dismissal.
The CMC did not investigate whether any offences had been committed under the Liquor Act as this was handled by the Queensland Police Service.
The CMC has been advised by the Commissioner of Police that he is of the opinion that there was no offence under the Liquor Act. The CMC agrees with the Commissionerˇ¦s view.
The CMC has found no evidence of any criminal offence or official misconduct by any person.
There is evidence which, if accepted, would indicate that four officers gave misleading information to the police about the wine but in light of the decision of the Commissioner of Police and for the other reasons given in the report, the CMC has not recommended disciplinary action against these officers.
This media release and the full report are available on our website: www.cmc.qld.gov.au
Further Information:
Stewart Sommerlad ˇV Manager, Media and Communications
Ph: 07 3360 6344 Mobile: 0407 373 803 Fax: 3360 6235
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan soon but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
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Struth!!! All that fuss, time (and money) spent on one bottle of plonk left on an a/c.
What will they do to the low lifes who smuggle drugs into these communities or flog bottles of petrol at $50 or so a liter to kids to sniff their lives away?
Reality check required urgently for some!
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
What will they do to the low lifes who smuggle drugs into these communities or flog bottles of petrol at $50 or so a liter to kids to sniff their lives away?
Reality check required urgently for some!
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
Just Binos
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Couldn't agree more, Pinky. I spent two years in Weipa FS watching the local "charter" company overcharging outrageously anybody from the surrounding "missions" to fly to WP on pension day and pool their money to buy booze.
Once they got to Weipa the local taxi company would join in the "joke" and extort ludicrous sums for the trip to the pub. Free enterprise at its best. No doubt Winstun and Dick Smith would admire the entrepreneurial spirit displayed.
Now because of political correctness we taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for a return government jet flight to LHR because of one bottle of wine, discovered by a bloody refueller of all people? What the hell was he doing poking around in the plane in the first place?
It wouldn’t matter what side of politics was in power. This has been a shameful waste of taxpayers funds.
Once they got to Weipa the local taxi company would join in the "joke" and extort ludicrous sums for the trip to the pub. Free enterprise at its best. No doubt Winstun and Dick Smith would admire the entrepreneurial spirit displayed.
Now because of political correctness we taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for a return government jet flight to LHR because of one bottle of wine, discovered by a bloody refueller of all people? What the hell was he doing poking around in the plane in the first place?
It wouldn’t matter what side of politics was in power. This has been a shameful waste of taxpayers funds.
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I may be wrong here, but the airport is not part of the Mission and therefore if the bottle of plonk stays on the plane, there shouldn't be any problem with it being there. So I would have thought anyways.
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What about the poor begger who has to land at LHR due
a) rough running engine,
b) loss of oil pressure,
c) sick passenger or
d)<insert your own non-leathal aircraft type situation that requires a precautionary landing>
and has a couple of bottles of red/white/champers that his misses had him buy in Cairns. Will they come down on him cause Beattie says the ramp is included in the booze ban?
Oh for the good old days when all airports were the responsibility of the commonwealth and were classed as commonwealth land.
a) rough running engine,
b) loss of oil pressure,
c) sick passenger or
d)<insert your own non-leathal aircraft type situation that requires a precautionary landing>
and has a couple of bottles of red/white/champers that his misses had him buy in Cairns. Will they come down on him cause Beattie says the ramp is included in the booze ban?
Oh for the good old days when all airports were the responsibility of the commonwealth and were classed as commonwealth land.
Thread Starter
8KCAB. You are correct. Opinion was that the tarmac was always excluded, which is now confirmed. Big fuss and lots of tax dollars wasted, all in the name of political correctness!
If memory serves me right, the airport belongs to the Cook Shire, not part of the DOGIT (Deed Of Grant In Trust).
The liquor ban penalties include confiscation of the vehicle. Had the tarmac been included it would now be an interesting sight - including the Government jet, a Qantas Dash 8 and a plethora of GA aircraft.
If memory serves me right, the airport belongs to the Cook Shire, not part of the DOGIT (Deed Of Grant In Trust).
The liquor ban penalties include confiscation of the vehicle. Had the tarmac been included it would now be an interesting sight - including the Government jet, a Qantas Dash 8 and a plethora of GA aircraft.
Last edited by Torres; 24th Apr 2004 at 00:15.
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LHR Refueller
Now I havent been into LHR for quite some time but I seem to remember the Refuellers there to be quite reasonable blokes (JH ??).
How the hell did he get this thing rollling in the first place ?!?
How the hell did he get this thing rollling in the first place ?!?
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What an absolute waste of government money on this scandalous scandle!
Someone already knew that the airport was not in the 'DOGIT' alcohol restricted area. I mean that person/s put the "NO ALCOHOL" sign some 3-4 kms from the airport on the road into the LHR community
TOPPER That reasonable refueller must have moved on given the current one was the one who started all this; very disappointing! It would be nice to have some friends at airports!?
BINOCULARS Is it not a case of supply and demand when it comes to the price charged? They have been given the money freely and wanted to spend it. What sort of business (bank, charter operator) does not to try to get their mits on it? Have you seen the prices charged by Qantaslink to fly to Weipa and Horn Island? Remote area flying does come at a price and someone has to pay.
Stay tuned for more impounded aeroplanes parked around the Cape?
CW
Someone already knew that the airport was not in the 'DOGIT' alcohol restricted area. I mean that person/s put the "NO ALCOHOL" sign some 3-4 kms from the airport on the road into the LHR community
TOPPER That reasonable refueller must have moved on given the current one was the one who started all this; very disappointing! It would be nice to have some friends at airports!?
BINOCULARS Is it not a case of supply and demand when it comes to the price charged? They have been given the money freely and wanted to spend it. What sort of business (bank, charter operator) does not to try to get their mits on it? Have you seen the prices charged by Qantaslink to fly to Weipa and Horn Island? Remote area flying does come at a price and someone has to pay.
Stay tuned for more impounded aeroplanes parked around the Cape?
CW
