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fl.
elialza
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Mr. Ricketts (HKD) cc: Dr Howlett 109/2
(para. 5).
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FM CANBERRA
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
稚
OF 09040OZ FEBRUARY 93
mi Eyre-Wilson
PRY
Miss Willis
Ovis
mr Holpnes
REC..
MARY 020/1
li.
RECEIVE
On "x", Keating was also under pressure because of his financial involvement,
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG, SYDNEY
In a piggery which rec'd government support,
om 911
FROM:
TO:
PETER BECKINGHAM, CANBERRA
CC:
TCF FLEAR ESQ MVO, SPD, FCO
145665
N 6246
IN REGISTRY
- 9 FEB 1993
INU-
PA
POLITICAL SECTION, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONG KONG
CONSUL-GENERAL, SYDNEY
RESIGNATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES
.
,
.STRY
Taken
1 THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, LEO MCLEAY, ANNOUNCED ON 5 FEBRUARY THAT HE WOULD BE TENDERING HIS RESIGNATION AS SPEAKER THIS WEEK TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. MCLEAY'S RESIGNATION
WAS BECAUSE OF ADVERSE MEDIA COVERAGE, INSPIRED BY THE OPPOSITION, ABOUT THE PAYMENT TO HIM OF APPROXIMATELY AD65,000 FOR INJURIES HE SUSTAINED WHILE RIDING A BICYCLE LOANED TO HIM BY
PARLIAMENT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT MCLEAY, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE FOR THE JOINT HOUSES DEPARTMENT, HAD SUCCESSFULLY SUED THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMPENSATION. BEFORE MCLEAY
OFFERED HIS RESIGNATION THE GOVERNMENT HAD ESTABLISHED AN INQUIRY
UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF A FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE IN NSW.
COMMENT
2. IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN AUSTRALIA FOR EMPLOYEES TO SUE FOR WORK-PLACE INJURIES, AND THERE HAS TO DATE BEEN NO SUGGESTION THAT MCLEAY'S AWARD WAS ILLEGAL OR UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE OUTCRY WAS
GENERATED BECAUSE MCLEAY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT WHICH PAID OUT THE AWARD, WHICH WAS ARGUABLY MORE GENEROUS AND SPEEDY THAN WOULD NORMALLY HAVE BEEN EXPECTED.
EXPECTED. THE REVELATION THAT MCLEAY HAD SUED AN EARLIER EMPLOYER AFTER AN ACCIDENT DID NOT HELP
HIS CASE.
3
THE STORY DEVELOPED A HEAD OF STEAM LAST WEEK, AND IT QUICKLY BECAME CLEAR THAT THE INQUIRY WOULD NOT PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT. ALTHOUGH DENIED BY THE PARTICIPANTS, THERE IS SPECULATION FROM WELL PLACED SOURCES THAT MCLEAY WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE PRIME MINISTER TO RESIGN FOR THE SAKE OF THE PARTY. THE OUTCRY
MAY ALSO HAVE INFLUENCED THE PRIME MINISTER TO CHANGE HIS EARLIER
1
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