EMBARGO: Not for publication or broadcast before
JULY 25th, i. e. morning release JULY 26th
DR. P. L. BAZELEY
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies
On 18th May, 1961 the Director-General of Health, Dr.
W. D. Refshauge, acting under Section 56 of the Public Service
Act, charged Dr. P. L. Bazeley, Director of the Commonwealth
Serum Laboratories as following
" That the said Percival Landon Bazeley between the
tenth and seventeenth days of May, 1961 was guilty of
improper conduct in his official capacity in that he,
being an officer of the Public Service, made statements
to the public press in criticism of, and attempted to
promote opposition to, the Commonwealth Serum
Laboratories Bill introduced in the Parliament by the
Government".
The Director-General of Health suspended Dr. Bazeley as from
the close of business on 19th May, 1961.
The charge against Dr. Bazeley and his suspension were
notified to the Public Service Board on 18th May, 1961 and as no
recommendation was made by the Director-General of Health that
salary should not be paid to Dr. Bazeley during his suspension,
the Board did not make an order under sub-section of section
of the Public Service Act 1922-1960, depriving Dr. Bazeley of
his salary during suspension.
On 26th May, 1961, Dr. Bazeley, in writing, denied the
truth of the charge.
The Public Service Board therefore, on 7th June, 1961,
appointed a Board of Inquiry consisting of
The Honourable Mr. Justice Richard Moulton Eggleston,
Judge of the Commonwealth Industrial Court, Melbourne,
Chairman of the Board of Inquiry,
Sir Patrick Silvesta McGovern, and
Francis Patrick O'Grady, Esq., Deputy Director-General
of Posts and Telegraphs, Postmaster-General's
Department, Melbourne,
to inquire into the truth of the charge and to report to the
Public Service Board its opinion thereon.
After two full days of evidence had been -iven before
the Board of Inquiry, Dr. Bazeley admitted the truth of the
charge and the Board of Inquiry, on 21st June, 1961, reported
that, having regard to this admission and to the other evidence
tendered, it found the charge to be proved.
The Board of Inquiry annexed to its report, at the
request of Dr. Bazeley's Counsel, certain statements for the
consideration of the Public Service Board. The Board of Inquiry
said that it had not considered these statements in any way and
was merely passing them on to the Public Service Board.
At the request of Dr. Bazeley the Public Service
Bord on 3rd July, 1961 received from Dr. Bazeley and his
solicitor, oral and written representations which the Public
Service Board might take into consideration when preparing the
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recommendation it was required to make under the Public Service
Act, to the Governor-General. Similarly on 6th July the
Director-General of Health was given an opportunity to put his
views to the Public Service Board on matters relevant to the
Board's recommendation to the Governor-General.
The Public Service Board has now reported to the
Administrator of the Commonwealth, Sir Dallas Brooks, that it is
of the opinion that the improper conduct proved in the case of
Dr. Bazeley was a serious breach of a duty required of officers
in a non-political career Public Service in the British and.
Australian tradition.
The Board recommended to the Administrator that Dr.
Bazeley be removed from the Office of Director, Commonwealth
Serum Laboratories and be reduced to an office in the Commonwealth
Serum Laboratories having the designation of Senior Medical
Officer, Grade 3, with effect on and from the date of the Order
made by the Administrator in Executive Council.
The Administrator in Executive Council on 24th July
made an order giving effect to the Public Service Board's
recommendation. The contents of the Order have been conveyed to
1the Director-General of the Department of Health and through him
to Dr. Bazeley. In its consideration of the matter the Public Service
Board has noted that at no time was there any suggestion that Dr.
Bazeley had been guilty of misconduct in his professional
capacity as a qualified medical or veterinary practitioner.
CANBERRA, July, 1961.
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