Baillieu Refuses To Come Clean On His So-Called “Blind Trust”
Posted September 2nd, 2010 Comments (0) | Share | tags: Water
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu continues to treat Victorians with contempt by refusing to release any details of the so-called “blind trust” he says he has put in place in relation to his private investments, the Minister for Water, Tim Holding, said today.
On ABC 774 this morning, Mr Baillieu refused to detail his so-called “blind trust” arrangements – instead asking Victorians to trust him to manage the massive conflicts of interest generated by his private investment portfolio.
Jon Faine: I note that you have created a blind trust for your personal investments, Ted Baillieu, but you refuse to disclose how it works. Shouldn’t you?
Ted Baillieu: Jon, I have complied completely with the Act and I have done as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd did, as others have done. I have established a blind trust.
Jon Faine: Can you tell us who the trustee is?
Ted Baillieu: I’m not going to indicate who the trustee (sic). I have done what Kevin Rudd did.
Jon Faine: How do we know that it’s someone who is effectively at arm’s length from you?
Ted Baillieu: On, on, on the same basis that others have established a blind trust.
Mr Holding said the Opposition Leader should stop treating Victorians with contempt and provide details to back up his claim that he has put his investments into a blind trust.
“Mr Baillieu pretends to be committed to the principles of openness and transparency, but continues to resist coming clean on his private investments,” Mr Holding said.
“In fact, Mr Baillieu had the audacity to call on the Government in Parliament to release commercial in confidence information in relation to the Wonthaggi Desalination plant on the same day that he refused to detail his own financial arrangements.
“Mr Baillieu should stop treating Victorians with contempt and just be upfront about his private investments.”