RESPONSE FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE TO ARTICLE BY MR GLENN MILNE, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

26 November 2006

The Editor
The Sunday Telegraph

Glenn Milne (26 Nov, page 18) asserts that the Governor-General “has been dragged into another controversy”.

How is it that, despite emphatic denials from both the Governor-General and the Premier of South Australia, your paper continues to publish scurrilous, baseless allegations which, of your own making, can only be construed as seeking to embroil the office of Governor-General in controversy?

The facts are that the Governor-General has never heard of this suggestion.  He has never raised the matter with the SA Premier (as Mr Rann has confirmed).  Nor would he do so as the matter of a SA Vice Regal appointment is one for the Premier and The Queen.

The Governor-General deserves an immediate and unconditional apology.

Malcolm Hazell
Official Secretary to the Governor-General