Libs Want To Question Friends Of Iemma

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday December 10, 2007

Andrew Clennell State Political Editor

THE State Opposition wants to call two of Morris Iemma's closest friends to give evidence at a parliamentary inquiry into political donations, potentially exposing the Government to more embarrassment over the Betfair lobbying affair and who knew what and when over the investigation into the sacked minister Milton Orkopoulos.

The Iemma media adviser and former PBL consultant Peter Barron and the Multiplex consultant David Tierney will be subpoenaed to give evidence at hearings into political donations, if the Opposition can win cross-bench support for the move, the shadow leader of the house, Adrian Piccoli, said.

Mr Barron, who is known to speak to Mr Iemma several times a week by phone, said "no comment" when asked if he lobbied on behalf of Betfair, half owned by PBL. Mr Tierney said "no comment" when asked whether he told the Premier of rumours Mr Orkopoulos was under police investigation two months before he was charged.

The Government will announce that the head of its review of allowing Betfair to establish in NSW will be Alan Cameron, an academic and a former chairman of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. He will be aided by an economist, who is yet to be named, after the chairs of the three racing bodies asked the Gaming and Racing Minister, Graham West, to investigate revenue issues concerning Betfair.

Mr West said Mr Cameron, a former Commonwealth ombudsman, was "well regarded" and had some experience in the industry, having previously given some advice to the greyhound industry and done a "corporate governance" review of Tabcorp.

He expected the inquiry to report to the Government in June.

Meanwhile yesterday, Mr West said he had asked the commissioner of the office of liquor, gaming and racing to review the status of 2300 poker machines in hotels in NSW which can be traded differently to other machines under a loophole in gambling laws.

In 1998, the Government gave hotels the machines outside the Gaming Machines Act, which requires machines to be traded three at a time, with one forfeited to the Government.

Mr West said the Government would look at changes to the law to bring those machines into line with those in e others in pubs.

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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