REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday December 18, 1987

CABINET exile Russ Hinze announced plans to sue Deputy Premier and Police Minister Bill Gunn for defamation over statements made about the former multi-minister’s exclusion from Cabinet.

Mr Hinze’s Gold Coast solicitors Short Punch and Greatorix took out a writ for unspecified damages in the Brisbane Supreme Court. And the racing industry rallied behind Mr Hinze and planned a mass support meeting at which the heavyweight politician and leading racing identities were to speak.

Up to 1500 people were to attend the ‘high-noon’ meeting at Corbett Park, home of Brothers Rugby League Club, Brisbane where motions of support for Mr Hinze were expected to be carried and subsequently passed on to Premier Mike Ahern.

The legal action followed statements by Mr Gunn that there were some ‘undisclosed facts’ concerning Mr Hinze being dropped from Cabinet until after the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

Mr Gunn had also reportedly told Mr Hinze to ‘keep quiet’ about his exclusion. Mr Hinze said he would consider legation action to clear his name from the sigma of being mentioned at the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

Mr Hinze said he would look at Supreme Court action for a legal ruling on the difference between being mentioned at the inquiry and being ‘named’.

Hinze’s action would ultimately come to nothing and he was forced to resign from parliament just months later.

His political career ended there and he was charged in 1981 with receiving corrupt payments. Hinze died from cancer in mid-1991.