Pike committee slated for mishandling Western Women inquiry

Liberal representatives on the Pike committee investigating the Western Women affair were leading witnesses and asking selective questions and were not concerned about establishing the facts, Education Minister Kay Hallahan said today.

The committee also treated as fact third-hand recollections and unsubstantiated hearsay.

"Far from trying to establish the truth, it becomes increasingly clear that the Pike committee is on a taxpayer-funded mission for the Liberal Party," she said.

Mrs Hallahan said evidence given to the Pike committee today by former WIRE manager Gail Gilmour was inconsistent with the evidence given a week ago by Margaret Wort, former director of the Office of Women's Interests.

"Last week, Ms Wort told the committee that she met with Minister Hallahan regularly but at no time did she advise the Minister verbally or in writing of any complaints about Western Women.  Nor did she provide advice to the Minister to terminate Western Women's services," she said.

"Ms Gilmour's recollection that she was in a meeting in which Ms Wort said she was going to take complaints to the Minister (Hallahan) is also inconsistent with the dates that I was Minister," she said.

"The fact is, Ms Gilmour did not join WIRE until after I had ceased to be Minister assisting the Minister For Women's Interests, so her recollection of events cannot be accurate.

"For my part, I have consistently said that I never received any complaints about financial impropriety on the part of Western Women while I was Minister responsible for WIRE.

"Indeed, if there had been such complaints I would have immediately severed the link between Western Women and WIRE.

"With the Ombudsman, the Australian Securities Commission, the Public Service Commission and the Legal Aid Commission covering the same ground as Mr Pike - it is doubtful that the committee serves any value to anyone but the Liberal Party."

Mrs Hallahan said the Pike committee was guilty of smearing reputations and had no interest in assisting depositors who lost their money through the collapse of the Western Women group.