Fed: Tuckey pleads with SA to overturn son's fine

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Fed: Tuckey pleads with SA to overturn son's fine

CANBERRA, Aug 20 AAP - Federal minister Wilson Tuckey has defended intervening to tryto overturn a $193 driving fine given to his son by South Australian police, arguing hedid nothing improper.

Michael Tuckey and his workmate were moving a truckload of tree seedlings last Augustwhen they were issued a fine for failing to keep a log book by a police officer at a weighstation at Port Augusta. The fine was $193.

On September 26, 2002 in a letter on ministerial letterhead, Mr Tuckey, the Ministerfor Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, wrote to SA Transport MinisterPatrick Conlon seeking to have the fine replaced by a warning.

In another letter dated November 11, Mr Tuckey again wrote to Mr Conlon, complainingthe case had gone to a SA court where his son had been convicted in absence.

Mr Conlon, in a letter to the minister, said the officer who issued the ticket to MrTuckey's son had acted appropriately and in line with police discretionary orders.

Mr Tuckey yesterday defended his actions and said his son had been treated worse thana bag snatcher or home invader.

Labor accused Mr Tuckey of breaching the government's ministerial code of conduct byusing his position for private business and demanded he be sacked.

But Mr Tuckey in turn accused Labor of hating children for their behaviour over the issue.

He defended his actions as the responsible behaviour of a member of parliament tryingto look after his constituent who also happened to be his son.

AAP rft/jnb/br

KEYWORD: TUCKEY DAYLEAD