Concern about Pike inquiry into Western Women group

Education Minister Kay Hallahan today expressed concern that she had not been given an opportunity to appear before the Pike committee investigating links between the failed Western Women financial group and the Women's Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE).

Mrs Hallahan said as a former Minister assisting the Minister for Women's Interests, it was appropriate that her views about the matter be considered.

The Minister said the committee had been required by Parliament to table an interim report within a fortnight.

"It would be grossly improper if the interim report was to contain references to my role as the responsible Minister without my having been given an opportunity to provide evidence," she said.

"I have written to the chairman of the committee requesting that I appear before the committee and that if this is not possible, the interim report does not make any reference to me.

"In the past, the Pike committee has often failed to make reasonable efforts to sort fact from fiction in its haste to secure publicity for the Liberal Party."

Mrs Hallahan said if the committee did not give her the opportunity to appear, she wanted assurances that the interim report would not contain references to her.

Parliament recently called for an interim report followed by a final report in November.  The committee, set up in November 1991, has met only 14 times in 40 weeks.