Mp Neal Accused On 'wine Buy'
The Age
Wednesday June 25, 2008
BESIEGED federal MP Belinda Neal has been accused of interfering with a second statutory declaration.
The husband of a former staff member claimed she told him not to include on his statement the fact she had bought a bottle of red wine on the night she was accused of abusing Iguanas nightclub staff. David Batten, husband of Ms Neal's former staff member Melissa Batten, told Channel Nine's A Current Affair last night that he was instructed by Ms Neal to leave out details of alcohol from his statutory declaration.Ms Neal yesterday stood aside from chairing a parliamentary committee, arranging to donate her stipend - $1165 a month - to an unspecified local charity.But an offer by the Australian Federal Police to join the NSW police investigation into Ms Neal has been turned down.After Ms Batten accused Ms Neal of pressuring her into a false statutory declaration about events at Iguanas on June 6, Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty yesterday spoke to NSW Commissioner Andrew Scipione to offer help.Later the two said they had "agreed that NSW Police will remain in charge of the investigation until its conclusion, which is expected in the near future".It is believed the police investigation is likely to be finished within a week. It is expected the material will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to evaluate whether there is a case.Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said Ms Neal should be excluded from the Labor caucus until the police inquiry ended.
© 2008 The Age
