Qld: Ekka president committed for trial, says God s on his side

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2000
Qld: Ekka president committed for trial, says God s on his side

By Suzanne Klotz

BRISBANE, Aug 11 AAP - Former Brisbane show president Sir Walter Burnett claimed God
was on his side as he vowed to clear his name after being committed to stand trial today
on corruption charges.

Burnett, 79, of Maleny in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, was sent for trial on 19 counts
of taking kickbacks from six show site holders between December 31, 1990 and 1997.

Another four charges were dropped by the prosecution on the basis that there was too
lengthy a time lapse between the discovery of the offences and the laying of charges.

The alleged kickbacks from showmen included free trips within Australia, an all expenses
paid cruise to Asia, a New Zealand fishing trip and a fly-drive holiday through the United
States and Canada.

The other secret commissions allegedly included cash for two new cars and new carpet
for a house in return for preferential treatment in allocating hotly contested, lucrative
sideshow alley sites.

Leaving the Brisbane Magistrate's Court today, Burnett, who did not enter a plea, told
reporters that he had expected more charges to be dropped.

"Justice is always on the side of the godly, and I'm one of them," he said, before
adding that he would "see everyone at the show".

Burnett, a retired pharmacist, held the honorary position of president of the Royal
National Agricultural and Industrial Association from 1983 until 1997 and continued to
sit on the association's committee as past-president in 1998.

The association, known as the RNA, stages the Brisbane Exhibition every August, and
this year's show started yesterday.

The lengthy committal hearing revealed Burnett's life had revolved around the show,
and that some of his best friends were showmen who had been doing the lucrative side-show
alley circuit for generations.

There was fierce competition for show sites every year and in 1998 two disgruntled
showmen contacted the police and were referred to the Criminal Justice Commission with
allegations of corrupt dealings.

The CJC found there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations, but the showmen
persisted with their claims and went back to the police who conducted an investigation
and charged Burnett late last year.

The defence attempted to have the bulk of the charges thrown out on the basis that
they were outside the statute of limitations.

Legally if charges are not laid within two years of the offences being committed, then
police must lay them within one year of discovery of the alleged offences.

But Magistrate Bill MacKay found that he was satisfied that the detailed nature of
the allegations was only revealed much later following police investigations, and the
charges were brought within the statute of limitations period.

He granted Burnett bail on his own undertaking to stand trial in the District Court
in Brisbane in the sittings beginning October 16.

AAP smk/sc/wjf/mg/br

KEYWORD: BURNETT NIGHTLEAD

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