NSW: Bungle blamed for police not being told about theft

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2006
NSW: Bungle blamed for police not being told about theft

By Peter Jean, State Political Reporter

SYDNEY, Dec 15 AAP - NSW parliamentary speaker John Aquilina is blaming a bureaucratic
bungle for police not being informed about the alleged theft of $16,000 by a staffer in
the office of a Labor MP.

A staffer in the Kogarah electorate office of Cherie Burton resigned on December 8,
2004, after it was alleged he invoiced the parliament for $16,000 worth of printing but
did not pay the printer.

All of the money was recovered from the part-time staff member, but police were never
informed of the incident.

Ms Burton, who was appointed housing minister earlier this year, had referred the matter
to parliamentary officials because the parliament was technically the man's employer.

Mr Aquilina today said parliament's chief financial controller had never completed
a report on the matter. The report was to have been sent to police and the ICAC.

"It then just sat on his desk and he never got round to completing the report," Mr
Aquilina told AAP.

He said that as speaker, he had ultimate responsibility for the report being neglected.

"At the end of the day, the buck stops with me," he said.

The matter is now being investigated by police and has been referred to the ICAC.

Mr Aquilina said ICAC told him on January 20 last year it had received an anonymous
tip-off about the matter but did not intend to investigate it.

In retrospect, an initial report should have been sent to police and the ICAC as soon
as parliamentary officials completed their investigations, Mr Aquilina said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the failure by Ms Burton and Mr Aquilina
to ensure the matter was referred to police was unacceptable.

"This issue smells to high heaven," Mr O'Farrell told reporters.

"It's either gross incompetence or it has all the hallmarks of a typical Labor cover-up."

Mr Burton said that after she informed Mr Aquilina and Legislative Assembly clerk Russell
Groves about the alleged theft, she had been assured it would be referred to police and
the ICAC.

"They are the employer of this individual and it was a matter for them," she told reporters.

Ms Burton said she was distraught when she learned of the alleged theft.

Premier Morris Iemma said Ms Burton had acted appropriately and it was up to police
and the ICAC to investigate the delay by parliamentary officials in reporting the matter.

"If there is impropriety as to why that wasn't the case, that will be a matter that
ICAC and the police will review," he told reporters.

AAP pj/was/goc/cdh

KEYWORD: BURTON NIGHTLEAD

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