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AM - Another WA minister faces dismissal

[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s1857925.htm]

AM - Tuesday, 27 February , 2007 08:11:48

Reporter: David Weber

TONY EASTLEY: Another State Government Minister in Western Australia is facing dismissal over his links to the former disgraced premier, Brian Burke.

Local Government Minister, John Bowler, was secretly recorded in the home of Mr Burke's business partner in June last year, apparently revealing the details of secret Cabinet discussions.

At the time Mr Bowler was the Minister for Resources.

The recording was played in the Corruption and Crime Commission at the end of another day's hearings into the continuing influence of Brian Burke in the WA Government.

Being linked to Mr Burke can prove costly. One minister has already lost his portfolio while another has been forced out of State Parliament altogether.

David Weber reports.

DAVID WEBER: John Bowler was moved from Resources to Local Government late last year. The Premier had become aware of his close contact with Brian Burke and Julian Grill, who were lobbying for various mining companies.

Mr Bowler had said lobbying had not resulted in favours or special treatment.

But the Corruption and Crime Commission has now heard a recording of a meeting in Julian Grill's home in June last year. Mr Grill is heard to be asking John Bowler how the Cabinet meeting went. It appears that Mr Bowler gave details of what happened.

JULIAN GRILL: How did Cabinet go?

JOHN BOWLER: Good, good. Yes, deferred a couple of big decisions.

DAVID WEBER: The recording was partially obscured by noise, but the men appeared to be talking about one of Julian Grill's clients, the Fortescue Metals Group.

JOHN BOWLER: Now, Woodstock-Abydos, apparently Carps (Alan Carpenter) says he's happy in the way it's going. That, although they said, you know, the decision of the, of that committee…

DAVID WEBER: Fortescue wanted land excised from the Woodstock-Abydos protected area, to aid its railway project.

The Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee decided against the railway variation on June the seventh. One month later, the Indigenous Affairs Minister announced she was overturning the decision.

The conversation was recorded during the interim period. The Resources Minister John Bowler is heard to reveal what the Minister, Sheila McHale, was planning to do.

JOHN BOWLER: Sheila understands that they have to say that and that she will now overturn it.

JULIAN GRILL: Ah, all right so, if I can just take a note on this.

JOHN BOWLER: So it's expected that, um, Sheila will overturn the ACMC decision.

LESLEY GRILL: Do you want a cup of tea or coffee?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd love a coffee thanks.

JULIAN GRILL: So, Carpenter has told you that Sheila should overturn the decision?

SIMON CORRIGAN: I think she has, Sheila said that she will.

JOHN BOWLER: She … yeah, yeah, yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

JOHN BOWLER. She will.

DAVID WEBER: Mr Bowler told the Commission that while he accepted there had been a discussion about the matter in Cabinet, he'd spoken to the Premier and the Minister in a separate meeting too.

Mr Bowler said he believed there was a distinction between formal Cabinet meetings, and informal Cabinet meetings.

The Premier won't be making any comments before John Bowler has finished his evidence. But the precedent has been set.

The Premier cut short a trip to India last week after the Commission heard a secretly-recorded phone call during which a minister discussed fundraising with Julian Grill.

The Premier forced Tony McRae to resign because there was a perception he'd been trying to gain a benefit.

TONY EASTLEY: David Weber reporting.