Hinze racing box payment

Press, 13 November 1985, Page 12

Hinze racing box payment

NZPA-AAP Brisbane

A ?Austl2,soo ($14,375) a year . payment from the Queensland Government Racing Development Fund for a private box for the Racing Minister, Mr Russ Hinze, at Doomben racecourse has been verified.

The Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, said after a Cabinet meeting on Monday that there was no problem as far as he was concerned and that the arrangement had been ratified.

Mr Hinze, in response to questions about the box raised in a special report from the Auditor-General, Mr Vince Doyle, refused to comment.

He has already been questioned by the Opposition Deputy Leader, Mr Tom Burns, in Parliament about private facilities at the new Albion Park trotting facilities.

In a report presented to

Parliament last week, Mr Doyle said Mr Hinze had breached the Racing and Betting Act by not having approval of the Governor-in-Council for the rental agreement on the private box facility at Doomben.

It was acceptable as a special purpose and therefore legitimate but being a special payment should have received this approval, Mr Doyle said. Mr Doyle’s report came' in a special audit ordered by the Cabinet in May. The Racing Development Fund, contributed to partly by grants under legislation from the Totalisator Administration Board, has contributed about sAust6o million ($69 million) towards the development of racing tracks and facilities in Queensland. Mr Doyle said he did not believe it was unreasonable for Mr Hinze to have access to appropriate facilities for hosting purposes.