Repost Apparently the original post of this document did not come over so well ... so am reposting it ... hopefully in better readable form. Note: Since the original posting, the Premier of NSW has announced that a "judicial inquiry" will investigate Ms Arena's claims ... as another media commentator suggested ... "The judicial inquiry should complete the job" (presumably on Ms Arena!) Subject: Paedophile cover-up all the way to the top of Aussie politics? > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > From: The Australian Online home > > Arena alleges paedophile cover-up > By DAVID NASON > > September 18: > > Rebel New South Wales Labor MP Franca Arena last night > > accused the State's most powerful political and legal > figures, > including the Premier and Justice James Wood, of > deliberately > covering up the paedophile activities of politicians and > judges. In an extraordinary speech in the State upper > house, Ms Arena said the cover-up also involved Opposition > > Leader Peter Collins and senior ALP officials John Della > Bosca > and Terry Sheahan. She said they had secretly plotted to > ensure Justice Wood's royal commission did not expose the > paedophilia of "people in high places". > Ms Arena went on to make several more allegations, > including a claim the commission's paedophile terms of > reference had been watered down because a "famous lawyer > from > (Sydney's) western suburbs" had said: "If I go down, many > others will go down with me." > She also claimed a NSW MP was a paedophile and used > Parliament House as his "private red (light) district" and > > that other MPs and judges visited the Wall of a gay > pick-up > location in Sydney frequented by under-age boy > prostitutes. > Mr Carr and Mr Collins immediately issued denials of > any > cover-up, with the Premier angrily describing the claims > as > "nutty" and a gross defamation of both himself and Justice > > Wood. Justice Wood, Mr Sheahan and Mr Della Bosca could > not be > reached for comment. > Ms Arena, a fierce and outspoken campaigner for > children's > rights and a persistent critic of Justice Wood, told > Parliament Mr Carr and Mr Collins had gone into "damage > control" in March 1996 after newspaper speculation that > judges > and politicians would be exposed by the royal commission. > She claimed a series of meeting were held, resulting > in Mr > Carr and Justice Wood agreeing to hide the activities of > high-ranking paedophiles in the community interest. "I > believe > it was decided that it was too damaging for the whole > community to have members of Parliament and judges > exposed. > "I am bold enough to presume that an agreement was > reached > to ensure people in high places would not be named because > it > would be too traumatic for the community to realise how > many > of its so-called upstanding citizens were involved in > criminal > activity. > "The result is . . . we never heard of a single > high-profile paedophile being named or exposed. The whole > matter was swept under the carpet and the commission has > failed the community." > Ms Arena said she expected to be "strongly criticised > and > marginalised" by the ALP for her comments. "But I know I > will > eventually be proven right," she said. > Ms Arena said protection of such high-ranking people > would > always prevail and gave a hypothetical example. > "Let's assume the President of the Parliament, one of > our > ministers, or another high-ranking officer of the > Parliament > leads a double life and is out there picking up young > boys," > she said. "Do you really think he would be prosecuted? Do > you > think the powers that be would allow the institution of > Parliament to be sullied publicly by him being charged? Of > > course not. If things became too hot he would be told to > go or > retire early."
