QRU defends role in 'rort'

[travelling_gerry]

Chris Barrett and Phil Lutton - Brisbane Times | August 7, 2009 - 1:32PM


The Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) has denied it acted improperly in agreeing to covertly channel $200,000 of a $4.2 million State Government grant to the rugby club of the public servant that negotiated the funding deal.

Simon Tutt, a senior policy adviser to former Sports Minister Judy Spence and an executive committee member of the University of Queensland (UQ) Rugby Football Club, is alleged to have orchestrated the QRU's payment to UQ Rugby as a condition of Bligh Government's funding of the proposed Ballymore redevelopment.

The matter, revealed by brisbanetimes.com.au today, is being investigated by the Crime and Misconduct Commission and the current Sports Minister Phil Reeves has demanded the QRU retrieve the $200,000 from UQ Rugby.

After refusing to comment yesterday, QRU chairman Steve Wilson has today defended the organisation's role in the alleged rort.

"Queensland Rugby confirms that it is aware of a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation," Mr Wilson said in a statement.

"Queensland Rugby will be co-operating fully with the government and the investigation and believes it has acted in good faith at all times."

UQ Rugby and its affiliate body UQ Sport Limited have refused to confirm what the $200,000 was spent on but it is understood the money was to assist their elite development program, the UQ Academy.

Mr Tutt no longer works for the government, having left following Labor's re-election on March 21. He has not returned calls.


http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...350675973.html

[travelling_gerry]

Chris Barrett - Brisbane Times | August 7, 2009 - 1:29PM

The under-siege Bligh Government in Queensland has been dealt another blow by claims a senior public servant funnelled $200,000 of a redevelopment grant to his rugby club at the University of Queensland (UQ).

Simon Tutt, then policy advisor to former Sports Minister Judy Spence, is alleged to have requested the payment as part of a $4.2 million State Government grant to the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) for the upgrade of Ballymore, the state's rugby headquarters.

Mr Tutt is a member of the executive committee of UQ Rugby.

Premier Anna Bligh declined to comment but current Minister for Sport Phil Reeves said yesterday the matter had been referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission on May 5. The government has demanded the QRU retrieve the $200,000 from UQ Rugby.

"A letter has been sent to the QRU requiring the reinstatement of the $200,000," Mr Reeves said.

"As the matter is under investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further."

The investigation into the behind-the-scenes cash transfer is another hit for a State Government already reeling from a lobbying crisis. The QRU, meanwhile, was last week rocked by the resignations of chief executive Ken Freer and chairman Peter Lewis.

The $4.2m grant was announced by Ms Spence on July 31 last year and was intended to fund the construction of a 25m swimming pool and the development of a third training field at Ballymore, in the inner-northern suburb of Herston.

The subsequent payment from the QRU to UQ Rugby was made in two $100,000 instalments.

It is understood the $200,000 was headed the way of UQ Rugby's elite player development program, the UQ Academy.

Both the chief executive officer of UQ Rugby, David Muir, and the head of affiliated group UQ Sport, Kim Guerin, refused to comment.

Mr Tutt, who left the government after Labor's re-election on March 21, did not return calls yesterday.

Ms Spence, who was shuffled out of Cabinet as part of a ministerial clean-up in the wake of Labor's election win, said yesterday she was unaware of the alleged secret deal.

"I haven't heard those allegations before," Ms Spence said.

The parliamentary veteran denied Mr Tutt, who she said she last spoke to a fortnight ago while travelling in Europe, was the chief conduit between the department she headed and the QRU over the proposed funding.

"The QRU would have made an open submission to the department in the usual manner," she said.

"No one single person would have handled the matter. That is not how government works."

Ms Spence said Mr Tutt was now "working in the law".

Attempts to contact departing CEO of QRU, Mr Freer, whose resignation will become effective in October, were unsuccessful. Mr Lewis also refused to comment.
The QRU issued the following statement: "Queensland Rugby does not comment on the detail of its commercial or contractual agreements with sponsors, stakeholders, players or other business partners."

The development application concerning the upgrade of Ballymore is currently before the Brisbane City Council.

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...350675937.html

[beige]

GOD-DAMN-IT - can't take a trick!

[fulvio sammut]

We don't need these sort of tricks.

[shasta]

An officer of the UQ rugby club has denied any wrong doing in the funding rort,
" I had no idea where the money came from. It appeared in two installments, which I found on my desk on consecutive Monday mornings when I arrived at work. The money was in brown paper bags and I put them in my desk drawer for safekeeping. They are still there. Honest."

[beige]

Surprised he didn't say he found it in his boot...

[fulvio sammut]

I express feigned indignation and you guys make jokes?

[brokendown gunfighter]

Joh for PM

[fulvio sammut]

Wasn't Joh a Kiwi?

[shasta]

I express feigned indignation and you guys make jokes?

Think I'll go feed the chooks, now don't you worry about that.

And yep,he was a kiwi.

[travelling_gerry]

Wasn't Joh a Kiwi?

Nope. I believe he was born on the island of Crete.

[GIGS20]

Nope. I believe he was born on the island of Crete.

That would make him the first famous islander the Kiwis HAVEN'T claimed!

[travelling_gerry]

Yes. I remember when growing up in Queensland that everyone said that Joh was an ex cretion.

[Darren]

boom boom!