Newcastle
Herald, 7
April 2017:
Disgraced former
assistant tax commissioner Nick Petroulias has failed in a bid to scuttle a
corruption inquiry into his land dealings with the Awabakal Local Aboriginal
Land Council.
In March, Mr Petroulias
applied for the ICAC inquiry to be abandoned, arguing it was based on
"trivial" matters. He claimed he had been treated with
"bias" and "denied procedural fairness" during public
hearings, including "by reason of [his] mental health impairment".
Mr Petroulias also
tendered interviews he had recorded with witnesses - including former Awabakal
board members Richard Green and Debbie Dates - to support his case.
ICAC Commissioner Peter
Hall QC threw out the application on Wednesday, finding Mr Petroulias had not
substantiated his allegations.
"Mr Petroulias
asserts that the real purpose behind the inquiry is to improperly cause damage
to his reputation," Commissioner Hall noted. "There is no evidentiary
basis for what is an entirely unsupported assertion."
The last fortnight of
public hearings will begin on May 6.
The ICAC inquiry began
over 12 months ago, and is probing four deals to sell off Awabakal land, in
which Mr Petroulias is alleged to have played a "central role".
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION:
Note:
Nick Petroulias mentions on North Coast Voices.
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