REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Tuesday April 20, 1982

CORRUPTION and crime had a field day on the Gold Coast in the 1980s, the decade in which Wall Street character Gordon Gecko famously said “Greed ... is good”.

In mid-1982 the Gold Coast Bulletin’s front page bore the story of consorting squad officers investigating a precision-planned raid by a conman who took a local bookmaker for $12,800 with a forged betting ticket.

The police force, which was under the spotlight itself at the time, warned the unnamed conman would strike again and was likely part of a gang after striking at the Gold Coast Turf Club.

The man approached bookmaker Laurie Bricknell and handed him the forged betting slip, taking the money and was last seen walking rapidly towards the carpark.

Consorting squad Detective Sergeant Pat Glancy said the man whose ticket had been copied and rightfully was owed the $12,800 was paid and wanted to remain anonymous.

Meanwhile, the State Government was getting ready for Anzac Day 1982 and had a message for rogue operators planning to open their entertainment-related businesses on the commemorative day.

Labor relations minister Sir William Knox warned any entertainment businesses planning to open illegally that “you will be prosecuted”.

Dreamworld boss John Longhurst announced he intended to open the park regardless at 10am, while other tourist facility managers said that before being warned they did not know of the law.