Kennett's Infractions and Crimes come under Fire.
There is substantially more coverage of Jeff Kennett's questionable activities
in chapters 36-41 of the book Victoria Police Corruption that was released
in July 1999.
While the Kennett (Victoria) Government has made it known
through the mainstream media (which he appeared to control) that it has an
allegedly hard-line on law enforcement and integrity issues including so-called
'zero-tolerance' for many kinds of crimes, to some observers, Jeff Kennett
appears to be exempt from all this.
In 1993, Kennett and his wife were exposed as having used a government
car to conduct private business for the advertising agency, KNF owned by
Kennett and wife Felicity. Under normal circumstances such isn't allowed,
but it goes without saying that Kennett wasn't punished or fined in any way
for doing so.
A further conflict of interest was that highly lucrative government contracts
were being awarded to KNF, possibly in violation of correct procedures.
On 29 May 1996, Kennett assaulted a number of journalists by shoveling dirt
on them and their cameras at a City-Link ground breaking ceremony.
After attacking the journalists he said 'which will be the first one to charge
me with assault'. It is perhaps notable that the usual responsibility for such
charges rests with the state Police. The Police did not charge Kennett,
even though the assault was televised may have had something to do with his
backing them in refusing to hold a Royal Commission into the force, in spite
of repeated cases of Victoria Police Corruption at the highest levels.
On January 3, 1996, Kennett was able to avoid being charged for driving
143 km in a 100 km zone on the Hamilton Highway, near Lismore, Western
Victoria. Normally, the minimum penalty for such an offence in Victoria is
automatic licence suspension and a hefty fine. Jail is also an alternative.
Kennett got no licence suspension - the Police refused to charge him.
It has since been revealed that another man, a publican at Colac, was pulled
over for allegedly doing 133 km in the same area. The Police officer refused to
use his discretion to drop the alleged speed by a mere 3 km to allow him to
keep his licence.
In yet another case, Mr. Clive Goodenough was taken to court for doing
more than 30 km over the limit. He was jailed for two months following
an ex-parte hearing. There he was bashed and raped. Kennett refused his
application to have the case reopened.
Protection of unethical and/or illegal/criminal activity by Police and others
of Kennett, appears to go beyond himself and seems to extend to his family.
In December 1995, Kennett confirmed that his children had been involved
in the illegal drug trade by smoking marijuana and yet they too, have escaped
charges. Currently Victorian prisons are full of others who have similarly used
drugs.
Kennett also made comments on the Ray Martin Show (Channel 9) about
a rape trial still in progress that were evidently in contempt of court. Again
he was not charged. After making these statements, Kennett used taxpayer's
funds for lawyers in a bid to avoid being charged.
Kennett's use of taxpayer's funds for his own purposes and to gag
investigation seems to be a common trait of government in Victoria.
He successfully sued Packer for an estimated $400,000 in an out of court
settlement for a broadcast few can remember. As a rule, defamation actions
by Politicians are funded by the taxpayer, and in the event that they win,
the payout goes in the pocket of the politician. In the event that the politician
loses the case, the taxpayer picks up the tab. In other words, defamation is
a no-lose lottery for Victorian State Politicians.
More recently Kennett was accused on 4 Corners (ABC-TV) of using
undue influence to gain shares in his wife's name in a company (Arthur
Yates and Co.) after it was announced that the share offer had formally
closed. He subsequently made a substantial paper profit.
In a separate incident, Kennett entertained representatives of the
Guangdong Corporation - one of the directors of which is the biggest
poker machine operator in Victoria. He accepted an invitation to buy
highly sought after shares in the company (again in his wife's name) at
about the same time his Government released another 5000 Poker
machines onto the market.
Again in relation to Kennett's share dealings, it was revealed he was
on the Mayne Nickless share register when a State Government contract
was awarded to a consortium involving the company. In spite of the fact
that Kennett bought the shares in February 1992, he failed to disclose
his interests in the September 1992, Parliamentary register. Under
normal circumstances, "willful contravention" of the Members of Parliament
(Register of Interests) Act, is punishable by fines of up to $2,000.
Kennett's actions in relation to other matters have also come under fire,
including alleged breaches of confidentiality in the tendering process for the
2 Billion Dollar Crown Casino (possibly in violation of state laws), and the
subsequent allowing of the successful tenderer, to have extra gaming tables
at reduced rates. Notable is how the winning tenderer's, including senior
executives Lloyd Williams and Ron Walker, appear to be close personal
friends and/or associates of Kennett. The Senate (Federal Government)
looked into this, but the inquiry was apparently sabotaged because
potential witnesses were fearful of reprisals should they give evidence
unfavourable to Kennett and/or others with close links to the State
Government. On related matters, the Casino appears to be allowed to
have more than the usual four signs on roads directing motorists to it
(a legal restriction on all other businesses) and appears to have sought
and received tax breaks/concessions far over and above those obtained
by most, if not all other businesses in Victoria.
It has been alleged that Kennett has resorted to allowing the State
Government to be used to prop up businesses of friends and political allies
(line their pockets) at the expense of other Victorian businesses to create an
un-level commercial playing field in the state. Another apparent infraction by
the Crown Casino was their running a lottery without a permit.
In spite of this illegal activity, there is absolutely no doubt that the Casino
operators or their casino will have their business in any way interrupted.
If an ordinary citizen of Victoria attempted the same thing (running a lottery
without a permit) a likely result would be jail. Crown Casino also came
under fire for giving a highly lucrative "sponsorship" for activities involving
one of Kennett's sons.
Kennett's role in the tendering process for another lucrative government
deal, the "transurban" tollway system, called City Link has also come
under serious speculation. Again questions about the tendering process
have not been adequately answered by Kennett. His excuse has been
"commercial confidentiality". However because these are Government
contracts involving taxpayer's funds, the "commercial confidentiality"
clause doesn't hold water. That this could be due to corruption in the
tendering processes cannot be discounted. For example it was recently
revealed that the alleged tendering process of some lucrative Vicroads
road construction contracts were being perverted to allow favoured
parties to get the contracts, which some say are a licence to print money.
The State government privatisation and sell offs of other assets has come
under strong fire on the basis of political opposition. This is not of concern
to AAC unless it involves issues of probity. However these issues have been
raised in terms of a certain USA-based private prison operator, namely
Wakenhut Corp. and other buyers of State assets. Kennett has refused to
allow any proper independent investigation of these matters, again on the
alleged basis of "commercial confidentiality". However corruption matters
and those involved in legal infractions by companies and/or their directors
(in Australia and/or elsewhere) have nothing to do with "commercial
confidentiality" but rather whether the given group is fit and proper to
be issued a government contract and/or funds in the first instance -
issues that are unresolved and therefore a matter of serious question.
So-called government "watchdogs" such as the State Ombudsman's
Department, Auditor general and FOI Laws have all been perverted
to prevent the public from finding out details about alleged and/or possible
corruption in the Kennett government. A concerted effort to find out
about one of the State Government "licences to print money" failed on
November 6, 1997. An FOI claim was rejected by the government and
it's rubber stamp the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT),
(refer to The Hoser Files for a chapter that details the charade of the AAT).
The FOI claim sought details about a $24 million dollar payment to
Troughton Swier and Associates. The payment (described by some
as a "gift"), was made in relation to what the Government labelled a
so-called "energy consultancy" by Kennett and his treasurer, Alan
Stockdale. In violation of government protocol, no public tender had
been called before the so-called "energy consultancy" or payment
was made. Attempts by public interest groups to find out details
about the matter have been wilfully sabotaged by Kennett's government.
It has been said, that the private enterprise system in Victoria has now
been superseded by a system based on patronage and corruption akin
to that of the Bjelkie Peterson years in Queensland or the Wran/Unsworth
years in NSW or even that of the Suharto regime in Indonesia, whereby
only the politically well connected can make large amounts of money and
effectively control all key sectors of the economy. No doubt more facts
will become clear over time although this may be some years and after
Kennett leaves the political scene. Finally it should be noted that
Government corruption in the state of Victoria did not start the day Jeff
Kennett became State leader. However what is clear is that there has
been no effort to reduce this corruption and all obvious indicators show
that it appears to have increased markedly since his coming to
Government in late 1992.
Kennett's wife also went on a taxpayer funding spending binge with
her State Government issued Visa credit card. Among her many purchases
was a pair of $315 sunglasses from Optika Tarasoudis in Greece in
September 1995. When asked by the media why Felicity Kennett had
used taxpayer's funds for her own indulgence, Mr. Kennett stated on
20/11/97 that his wife had used the Visa card as the shop had not
accepted American Express, which was another card his wife had.
The (routine?) falsity of Kennett's statement was shown by the
rebuttal by shop manager Andreas Tarassoudis the next day when
he said that his shop had been accepting American Express for about
ten years. Perhaps of greater significance is the simple act of issuing
Mrs Kennett with a taxpayer funded credit card in the first instance.
In at least five other states, no spouses of leaders are issued taxpayer
funded credit cards. NSW Premier Bob Carr told the media that there
was no reason why the taxpayer should pay the expenses of his wife.
Kennett's wife accepted as a "gift', free use of a BMW allegedly as part
of a so-called "promotion' for the company.
In February 1998, when Kennett officially announced his separation
from wife Felicity, he deceitfully blamed the media for the separation.
This is ironic as Kennett, perhaps more than any other previous Victorian
State leader has manipulated the media to suit his own interests more
than anyone else. He has even gone so far as to ring newspaper editors
themselves and tell them what he thinks should and should not be reported,
in what is clearly a breach of accepted protocol. The ever present threat of
defamation actions against journalists who dare question some of his activities,
as well as the ever-present threat on newspapers and TV broadcasters to
withdraw State Government advertising has further ensured a consistent
pro-Kennett line has been run by the mainstream media - a line which
deliberately and forcibly suppresses public knowledge of corruption
involving the Kennett government as well as other irregularities.
For several years there have been repeated rumors of Kennett
assaulting his wife. These rumors have been denied by both Jeff
and Felicity. Once a Labor MP spoke to Felicity Kennett in the State
Parliament House foyer and she performed a little dance and said
"See. No bruises!".
It was also reported to that Felicity arrived on the door step
of a prominent charity/safe house stating she has been assaulted
by her husband, Jeff Kennett.
WCV's: has also informed the DPP about Kennett's falsification of the
figures used to have the ACA act changed which excluded hundreds
maybe even thousands of injured workers.
The DPP has referred WCV's to the federal police for further examination.
Jeff Kennett illegally obtained these changes and committed fraud
whilst doing so, and we want him held accountable for his crimes,
just as we would be!
WCV's will follow this up and keep you informed of any outcomes.
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