The Marks Royal Commission scandal - 1995

Carmen Lawrence, Gareth Evans and Keating's 1995 Cabinet implicated in dishonesty or incompetence.

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The Marks Royal Commission investigated the honesty of Carmen Lawrence and the West Australian Labor Party under Ms Lawrence after private and confidential documents on an Australian citizen, Penny Easton's, private life were tabled in the West Australian parliament. The Commission challenged the honesty of Carmen Lawrence - Federal Parliament records challenge the honesty of the entire Australian Labor Party (ALP) Cabinet in 1995. Penny Easton, a young respected Perth lawyer, committed suicide a few days later after the documents were tabled.

Using Hansard and other information we are able to prove that:

• Gareth Evans and all other members of the Australian Labor Party Cabinet at this time were aware that, Paul Keating, then Prime Minister of Australia was misleading them because he never told them of his dicussion with McGinty in May 1995. McGinty told Keating that Lawrence was lying.

• If the Cabinet did not realise this then they were either incompetent and stupid - or both - a highly unlikely scenario.

• If the Cabinet did realise Keating's deception, then they tacitly condoned Keating's criminal actions.

• The mainstream media have effectively "covered up" the damage that could be done to their mates in the Labor Party.

• Hansard.

  • Gareth Evans (November 1995 - six months after Keating's discussion with McGinty): "I have not had an opportunity to check this morning with the Prime Minister as to whether any such conversation (between McGinty and Keating) took place".

• Extract from The Crime and Crime Sheet.

  • "The Carmen Lawrence affair stinks of corruption."

• The dishonest ALP members still in Parliament.

  • "...let me remind you of what was the most sordid - yes, even criminal, act of the Keating Government and Cabinet, now on the front bench of the Opposition, either tacitly condoned or actively participated in."

• FinReview 1st December 1995 - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Wherein lies the truth: Charles Connelly.

  • "It appears from Gareth Evans' evasive answer in the Senate last week that he may not have done so."

• Image file of Letter from Paul Keating's office.

  • "The Prime Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf."

• 14th November 1995 - Statement by Paul Keating on the Marks Royal Commission - (131/95).

  • "It (The Marks Commission) was conceived in political malice."

• Image file of "The Australian Integrity Movement" letter dated 6th March 1996 to John Howard.

  • "Thirdly, I believe the "Open letter to Keating" presents a compelling case for an enquiry into Keating's conduct in respect of the decision to fund Carmen Lawrence's Supreme and High Court actions (against the Marks Royal Commission)."

• Letter to FinReview - dated 19th November 1997 - by Charles Connelly.

  • "The letter was in response to my letter to Keating dated 15th November 1995, challenging him to explain why he had failed to reveal that he had been informed in May of that year by Mr J McGinty, the then West Australian ALP leader of the opposition, that no member of Lawrence's former Cabinet would be prepared to give evidence to support her claims - Claims found by Justice Marks to be untruthful."

Other relevant information:

Financial Review report 6th February 1997: Jull introduced appropriations legislation the previous day to pay Au$49,776 of Lawrence's legal bill.

The Keating government had already approved payment of Lawrence's legal expenses amounting to Au$319,000.

Sydney Morning Herald 13th February 1997, Lawrence's lawyers, Dunhill Madden Butler, take out a lawsuit to claim more than Au$560,000  from the Federal Government. Attorney Generals Williams say the Government will not pay.

Money raised by the Carmen Lawrence appeal to help her pay her legal costs (estimated to be over Au$100,000) was not used for this purpose.

See also:

"Them and us" - Australian National News of the Day - 15th November 1995.
"Carmen's closeted world" - Australian National News of the Day - 22nd April 1997.
Search on Carmen Lawrence or Penny Easton or Marks Royal Commission on Australian National News of the Day search engine

Return to Australian National News of the Day

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