Hay Forced To Roll With Political Punches

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday March 4, 2008

By SARAH ALLELY

WOLLONGONG MP Noreen Hay was taking it all in her stride yesterday.

At the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings on Friday, a tape recording was played of a conversation Ms Hay had with allegedly corrupt developer Frank Vellar, where she agreed to lobby Labor councillors on his behalf.

Ms Hay was immediately stood down from her position as Parliamentary Secretary for Health by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

But she remained adamant she was innocent.

Yesterday ICAC Commissioner Jerrold Cripps QC made that official, telling the Premier that the MP was not a person of interest.

After being reinstated by Mr Iemma, Ms Hay was circumspect about the timing of her name being mentioned at the inquiry.

"I'm happy, it's vindicated what I said on Friday, which was that ICAC had told me I was not an affected person and that I had been co-operating," she said yesterday.

Ms Hay said she was contacted by ICAC investigators late last year, but the conversation with Mr Vellar about his plans for the North Beach Bathers' Pavilion had not been mentioned.

Despite the commissioner clearing her name fairly early yesterday, the timing of the tapes being played on Friday afternoon could not have been worse for Ms Hay - just in time for the weekend papers.

"These things happen. I'm in public life. The Premier had no option, I accept that he had made a statement earlier in the week to stand down anyone mentioned at the inquiry," she said.

"My name gets thrown up on Friday, what else could he do?"

The ICAC is investigating 14 people in relation to Wollongong planning practices, with allegations of sex and bribes.

Mr Cripps said yesterday there were no plans to name any further persons of interest, but the situation could change depending on the testimony of further witnesses.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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