'Minister connected Cabinet to corrupt police’

Press, 15 September 1988, Page 6

'Minister connected Cabinet to corrupt police’

NZPA-AAP Brisbane A former Queensland Minister, Don Lane, acted as ‘pipeline” connecting State Cabinet to corrupt police, the Fitzgerald Inquiry heard. The confessed police bribes paymaster, Jack Herbert, told the inquiry that Lane was corrupt and could have fed information to police corruptionorganisers from confidential Cabinet meetings. Herbert also said the now-suspended Queensland police commissioner, Sir Terence Lewis, could have been supported in allegedly corrupt activities, said to include a sAust6oo,ooo ($NZ762,000) bribe-take, from "higher up”. “I have. heard Sir Terence mention contacting Don. He did mention on occasions little comments about various Ministers, nothing to assist this inquiry,” Herbert said.

Herbert made the allegations during crossexamination that began on his eighth day in the stand. Under questioning from counsel for Queensland Newspapers, Russell Hanson, Q.C., Herbert was asked what comments Sir Terence made about Cabinet Ministers. “I can’t recall which particular Cabinet Ministers, there was several, several police Ministers,” he replied. In evidence about Lane, Herbert agreed the thenMinister, dismissed last year because of Fitzgerald Inquiry allegations, was a corruption “pipeline”. Asked by Mr Hanson, “Did you ever tap the pipeline that you and your friends had into the Cabinet room?” Herbert replied: “I would expect in regard to in-lines.” Herbert has alleged that Lane took bribes from a Sydney business-

man, Jack Rooklyn, and Brisbane amusementmachine operator, Tony Robinson, sen., so gaming machines could be operated illegally in Queensland. Asked if contents of Cabinet talks on any anticorruption moves were leaked, he said no. Herbert also said that while on the run from inquiry investigators last year he had telephoned Lane’s home and left a message. Lane had been named as corrupt at the time and Herbert said he wanted to assure him “I was on side and not to be concerned.” Herbert said he spoke to one of Lane’s sons and “left my name, just to assure him”. He also told the inquiry he never feared the sAust3 million graft empire he ran between 1979 and 1987 would be exposed.

“The Commissioner of Police, I can only put it,

was on our side,” Herbert said. In other evidence, Herbert said he spent most of the SAustl.l million he earlier admitted was his cut from the graft system. Herbert said he “guessed” his cash assets included up to $lBO,OOO deposited in two bank accounts and $50,000 and $B5OO seized by inquiry staff from two premises he owned. While on the run in London, his son, an airline steward, carried sAust2o,ooo out of Australia and left it in Frankfurt, West Germany, where it was collected by Herbert, the inquiry heard. Herbert said he took between $25,000 and $30,000 in traveller’s cheques with him when he fled Australia in June last year after the inquiry was announced. His wife, Peggy, later joined him, bringing about $BOOO.