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As the antics between Borghetti and Joyce keep headline writers both amused and busy, another war of words has broken out between Sydney Airport Corporation chairman Max Moore-Wilton and former federal transport minister Anthony Albanese.
In a report carried in the Sydney Morning Herald, claims and counter-claim are being waged as Moore-Wilton, never one to hide in the shadows, said Albanese “would be sued to within an inch of his life” for comments about Moore-Wilton appearing to have conflict of interest in his role as SACL chairman. Adding to the attack in words reminiscent of Keating vernacular, Moore-Wilton described Albanese as a “grub” and a “fractional hack”.
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The episode started in a parliamentary debate on a second airport when Albanese accused Moore-Wilton of a conflict of interest and questioned the method by which he was appointed SACL chairman in 2002.
Albanese said: “… as the head of a company that has a monopoly over the existing airport, any fair analysis would conclude that he has an enormous conflict of interest”. He then went on to question Moore-Wilton’s role in setting the conditions for SACL’s first right of refusal to develop a second Sydney Airport, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Speaking to Fairfax reporters this week, Moore-Wilton said he was not involved in the sale of Sydney Airport when he was working as a public servant, and that Albanese would have been aware of this.
“This is a complete and utter fabrication,” Moore-Wilton told Fairfax. “He knows that, and he knows that he can get away with it under parliamentary privilege. It is an absolute disgrace – the man is a grub, a factional hack and a misuser of his parliamentary office.”
PeterL
says:Why is anybody surprised by Albanese making these comments in the safety of Parliament…..the man is an utter disgrace, the worst ‘aviation’ minister in Australian history and surprise surprise he is the member of an electorate near the airport….hmm no conflict of interest there. How can he dare accuse someone else of conflict of interest?
Peter
says:Self interest all around – Mr Albanese has an electorate near the airport and as such should not be able to take NIMBY like decisions on national infrastructure projects
Rodney Marinkovic
says:Should be all disagreement change for agreement and all capacity of people to be in service of those who striving
for once for all to start realisation of WSA. (western Sydney airport.) Remember Third Runway?! Minister who cat the ribbon on day of opening, before that honour was strong opposition. Don’t repeats history again, but build future. Serving people, aviation, and good life for all!. We have to doing! WE CAN DO!
Rodney Marinkovic, AME(ret.) Kraljevo(Serbia), // Griffith Aussie-land