PM Transcripts

TEL L N U 031
PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON PJ KEATING MP
MR HOWARD AND THE MARKS ROYAL COMMISSION
Mr Howard today made the extraordinary admission that he and Mr Court
discussed the establishment of the Marks Royal Commission prior to Mr
Court's public announcement that the Royal Commission would proceed.
In his ABC radio interview this morning, Mr Howard refused three times to
answer direct questions as to whether he in fact urged Mr Court to set up
the Royal Commission.
Mr Howard now has the chance to live up to his rhetoric about the need for
absolute truth in politics. He can answer, truthfully and without prevarication
or deceit, the following simple questions:
Did Mr Howard discuss the establishment of the Marks Royal
Commission with Premier Court before its public announcement?
Did anyone acting on Mr Howard's behalf, especially the shadow
attorney-general, discuss the setting up of the Marks Royal
Commission with Premier Court or anyone acting on his behalf?
How many discussions took place, and when and where were they held?
Given the repeated claims by the Liberal Party that there is no political
motive in the establishment of the Royal Commission; and the fact that the
terms of reference relate to matters in the Western Australian Parliament,
why did Mr Howard and/ or his representatives discuss the establishment of
the Royal Commission with Mr Court and/ or his representatives?
Will Mr Howard adopt in his answers to these questions about his
recollections of his discussion with Premier Court, the same standards of
truth and directness that he claims to seek from Dr Lawrence and her
recollections of Parliamentary events leading up to the tabling of the Easton
petition? CANBERRA August 1995 91/ 95