MINISTER WONG NOW INVOLVED IN LONG RUNNING DARWIN CASE

The Federal Magistrates Court has ordered that the Minister for Finance and Deregulation , Senator Penny Wong, be the respondent in the case involving former Darwin Aboriginal art gallery identity, Shirley Collins , ruined by her involvement in the Bank of America Down Under Tour in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics. Collins is seeking an  act of  grace  payment as  compensation for what happened to her , which was  described as  having been made  the scapegoat for errors and misinformation in high places. The possibility of mediation was raised  during a three way court phone hook up ; in the event of this not achieving a satisfactory outcome , the  matter will  be further listed for hearing on April 19. Former respondents were the Department of Finance and Deregulation and Dr Guy Verney , Assistant Secretary Special Claims and Land Policy Branch. It had been claimed that Dr Verney had acted as both case manager and case decider , contrary to guidelines, when he rejected her application.