Fed: PM stands by his man
CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard is standing by Regional ServicesMinister Wilson Tuckey, despite branding Mr Tuckey's intervention to overturn a trafficfine for his son as foolish.
Mr Tuckey yesterday apologised to parliament for using his ministerial letterhead tourge South Australia's police minister to reverse a $193 fine against his son Michael.
Mr Howard carpeted his controversial regional services, territories and local governmentminister and then let him sweat for several hours before telling parliament he would notaccede to Labor demands for his head.
Labor accused Mr Tuckey of improperly using his ministerial office and misleading parliamentover three letters he wrote to then South Australian police minister Patrick Conlon fromSeptember 2002 until January this year.
Opposition leader Simon Crean said Mr Tuckey should be sacked and Labor unsuccessfullysought to censure the minister.
Mr Howard said he was still considering the matter but so far did not believe Mr Tuckeyhas committed a sackable offence.
He said Mr Tuckey had been very foolish to use his letterhead.
In an apology to the parliament, Mr Tuckey said he was wrong to say his son was a constituentand it was a mistake to use his ministerial stationery.
But he said he had not been attempting to exert pressure on Mr Conlon.
AAP rft/jnb/br
KEYWORD: TUCKEY DAYLEAD
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