REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN, Wednesday April 30, 1986

TWEED-based NSW Health Minister Barrie Unsworth, who claimed he and his wife were the victims of a death threat, hate mail and “unprecedented” media attacks, gave up a controversial $8500-a-year special allowance.

Surrendering the allowance — given to him in 1985 after he changed his official address from Turramurra in Sydney to a luxurious Tweed Heads apartment building — Mr Unsworth said his reputation and integrity had been compromised by widespread criticism.

He said he would pay back all the money he had collected so far but would continue to live in the Tweed.

“I value my reputation and integrity far beyond any benefit that could be conferred upon me as a member of the parliament,” he told the NSW Parliament.

There was an uproar when it was revealed that Mr Unsworth was getting the allowance after changing his address from Sydney to his former holiday unit in the exclusive Yacht Harbour Towers building on Flagstaff Hill. The NSW Nationals leader Wal Murray blasted the change of address as a “selfish and greedy act of political opportunism”.

The package entitled Mr Unsworth to an $8000 travelling allowance as well as 116 return plane trips from Coolangatta to Sydney.

This was on top of his annual salary of $78,820 and an expenses allowance of $10,381 as Leader of the Government in the Upper House.

Just two months later, Mr Unsworth became NSW Premier after replacing the retiring Neville Wran.