Bjelke-Petersen in crisis over minerals contract

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 7

Bjelke-Petersen in crisis over minerals contract

NZPA-Reuter 'Brisbane The Queensland Premier (Mr Bjplke-Petersen) is facing a serious political crisis because of an allegation in the State Parliament that he personally pressed an international minerals company into awarding a contract to one of his busine« c nartner*

! The allegation was mack lin a letter tabled by the I Queensland Opposition Leader (Mr Tom Burns). The letter was from Mr G IJ. Werner, a former exploration supervisor for Houston I Oil and Minerals of Australlia, a wholly owned sub : sidiary of an American com panv, Houston Oil and Mine : rals. i It alleged that Mr Bjelke i Petersen also tried u* press the company into buying a drilling rig he and his parti ner had used on clav-deposii j leases around the Premier’s I home town of Kingaroy. Mr Werner said he resign ed from the company in , February because of his concern that the Premier should ! have involved himself perI sonally in the letting of a drilling contract by the comj pany to Mr Raymond Black, I who was alleged to be a partner in Bjelke-Petersen, I Enterprises, the Premier’s 'family company. Mr Werner alleged that Mr Black had been given a Houston Oil and Minerals drilling contract for exploration for coal in the Rosewood area, west of Ipswich, after Mr Bjelke-Petersen personally asked the company to award Mr Black the contract in January. Mr Burns told Parliament after he tabled the threepage letter that it demanded an answer.

Mr Bjelke-Petersen later, described the allegations about the drilling rig as un-| true. : Speaking to reporters, he denied that he had made telephone calls to a number of people to get work for the rig. He said he had no persona! interest in the drilling tig owned by Mr Black. He nad not been involved in the rig’s management or work at any time, and any tender for work for Houston Oil would be on a normal basis. In another dispute involving the Queensland Premier, the Federal Government yesterday faced a re-

volt from some of its own senators otter a plan to give Queensland Aboriginals and Forres Strait Islanders the right to manage their own -eserveS.

The Senate had adjourned debate on the Government s legislation with a suspension and signs of further trouble thead, Two of the most senior Government senators — Mr Reg Wright and Mr lan Woods — made it clear that they would oppose the legis'ation.

Senator Woods accused the Prime Minister (Mr-Mal-colm Fraser) of following the socialist lead of his labour predecessor Mr Gough Whitlam. Senator Wright earlier I told the Senate he would bel moving to refer the bill to aj Senate select committee, 1 , which would report in about a month.

A Tasmanian Independent senator, Mr Brian Harradine, who usually votes with the Government, said he would have “no option” but to support the Opposition The legislation, sponsored by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (Mr lan Viner), will give Queensland Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders the chance to opt for self-management of their reserves. The Labour Opposition is now pushing for deferment.