RESPONSE FROM NORTHERN RECRUITMENT TO ATTACK IN PARLIAMENT
QUEENSLAND Racing has posted on its web-site an angry response from the Director and Owner of Northern Recruitment, Mark Wilson, to an attack on his company in State Parliament by Opposition Racing Spokesman, Ray Stevens.
As we posted a story containing what Mr Stevens had to say in Parliament last week, it is only fair that we publish the response, despite the fact that no-one bothered to send us a copy.
The PRESS RELEASE, dated August 7 2009, under a NORTHERN RECRUITMENT letter-head, reads:
MR RAY STEVENS, LNP Member for Mermaid Beach – unprecedented, unsubstantiated and unnecessary attack on a Queensland small business
When asked to comment on Mr Stevens’ convoluted and scurrilous attack upon the integrity of a small Queensland business in Parliament yesterday during Estimates Committee Hearings, Mr Mark Wilson, Director and Owner of Northern Recruitment, said:
“I have never met Mr Stevens but I have met his kind – politicians who like to bully and hide behind the skirts of Parliamentary privilege. The process by which candidates were nominated for the positions of director with Queensland Racing was not undertaken in consultation with anybody at Queensland Racing. There were a set of criteria which had to be applied to individual candidates and then consideration given as to which combination of individuals represented the best possible group to go forward.
I question whose interests Mr Stevens is purporting to represent. Throughout the process of selection there were clearly forces, as yet unidentified, who sought to bring about a result for their own end. This was clearly not the people at Queensland Racing but reactionary forces within the industry that simply don’t like change.
In the spirit of fairness, I will offer Mr Stevens some friendly advice, namely that he gets his facts right before making unsubstantiated allegations against a successful small business under the protection of Parliamentary Privilege.
I can also assure Mr Stevens that if he repeats his comments outside Parliament, he will be met with appropriate legal response.”
BOTH SIDES HAVE NOW HAD THEIR SAY ON THIS WEB-SITE – ONE INSIDE AND THE OTHER OUTSIDE OF PARLIAMENTARY PROTECTION.
EDITOR’S NOTE: From an industry perspective the reaction to the comments of Mr Wilson has been mixed. Most are saying they would like to know why several candidates with credentials arguably the equal of those selected and including a high profile member of the current Board in Mr Bill Andrews, did not make the short-list. An explanation of how some missed out was what the critics wanted.
We are also told on good authority that regardless of who the two successful candidates are from the short-list that there are plans to increase the size of the Board of Queensland Racing, which means at least one loser in the selection process could wind up being a winner. It would be interesting to hear when Queensland Racing plans to advise the industry of its plans to increase the size of the Board – and how it would justify such a move.
