REMEMBER WHEN

IT was April fool’s Day but there was no joking around when it came to South Coast MP Russ Hinze who was accused of a cover-up relating to a “super-secret” company called Colwal.

Justice minister Sam Doumany was asked by the Labor opposition to give Parliament a full list of shareholders in a $45 million high-rise project planned for Burleigh Heads.

Opposition Archerfield MP Kev Hooper called for the shareholder names to be released in reference to the socalled secret company after accusing Mr Hinze of being linked to the twin-tower project.

Mr Hooper claimed that Mr Hinze was part of an elaborate cover-up relating to his business interests in the Gemini Court development and that he stood to receive a “million-dollar bribe” from its developers.

The project was linked to casino boss and North Queensland mining magnate Sir Leslie Thiess.

Mr Hooper claimed the company Colwal was named for Hinze’s former press secretary, Colin Walker, while its directors were his electoral secretary turned wife Fay McQuillian and accountant Robert Murphy.

Hinze hit back and denied either he or his family were linked to the company, sending the Bulletin a typewritten statement.

Premier Sir Joh BjelkePetersen said he had been advised that Mr Hinze had done nothing illegal.

Mr Hinze was dumped from Cabinet by Bjelke-Petersen’s successor Mike Ahern, in December 1987.