‘Paddington Bear’ Minister to stand aside for inquiry

Press, 27 July 1984, Page 6

‘Paddington Bear’ Minister to stand aside for inquiry

NZPA-AAP Canberra The Australian Special Minister of State, Mick Young, will stand aside from his portfolio while a Melbourne lawyer, Michael Black, conducts an inquiry into the so-called “Paddington Bear Affair.” The Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, said last night that he had asked Mr Young to stand aside because of the circumstances surrounding his Customs declaration for unaccompanied baggage sent back to Australia from London.

Mr Hawke said that more information on the affair had come to light on Tuesday and Wednesday and that that information had not been dealt with in the report by the Customs sent to the Government on July 20.

Mr Young had agreed to the move.

Mr Black, Q.C., has been asked to conduct the inquiry as quickly as possible and its terms of reference will include whether Mr Young has breached any Commonwealth law. Mr Hawke said that in the light of the ComptrollerGeneral of Customs’ final report on July 20 the Indus-

try and Commerce Minister, Senator John Button, had believed that no more action was required to be taken against Mr Young. The position changed for the Government yesterday after it was disclosed that the Opposition was expected to release copies of the Qantas cargo air waybill filled out at the point of departure. The form contains sections which require the owner or agents to give a description of goods in the consignment and its declared value for Customs. The Deputy Opposition Leader, Mr John Howard, called on Mr Hawke on Wednesday to institute an independent valuation of the goods taken to Australia by Mr Young. He said the goods had been valued by Mr Young’s wife and sister-in-law at $487.56, noting that had the valuation been only $12.44 higher the goods may have been forfeited and Mr Young prosecuted. Mr Howard said that the real casualty in the affair was Mr Hawke.

“The event, and in particular the outcome, has seriously damaged his authority in the Government. “He has displayed great

weakness, and clearly principle is secondary to the numbers — and it has been’ found by the Centre Left that he has not got the numbers. “He is reminded, however, that strength and audacity are often more important than charisma,” Mr Howard said. : Mr Black has been given : io August 16 to complete the inquiry. s. Mr Hawke said that the ’terms of reference for the inquiry would be to inquire into and report on the circumstances surrounding the making of a Customs declaration by Mr Young at Adelaide on July 5, 1984, and in particular whether any breach of a law of the Commonwealth may have occurred on Mr Young’s part or on the part of any person acting on his behalf. It will also inquire into whether there were any breaches by any officer of the Departments of Industry and Commerce and Administrative Services or any Commonwealth employee.

Mr Hawke said that the inquiry would not be public, but the report would be tabled in Parliament.