Della Bosca stood down over club clash
ABC News
Posted 11 minutes ago
New South Wales Education Minister John Della Bosca has been stood down after admitting he helped pen an apology given to him by a central coast nightclub.
Management of the Iguanas Waterfront restaurant and club issued the apology after staff accused Mr Della Bosca and his wife, federal MP Belinda Neal, of abusing and threatening them.
Premier Morris Iemma later repeatedly referred to the statement while defending his decision not to sack his Minister.
Mr Della Bosca today said the Iguanas owners insisted he write the apology, which he faxed to them and they changed slightly before signing.
He has also come under fire for driving home from the club after the argument a week ago, despite promising to stay out of the driver's seat because his licence was due to be suspended over speeding offences.
Mr Della Bosca was seen as a potential successor to Mr Iemma a few months ago. This morning, he said the Iguanas saga had been blown out of proportion.
But in a media conference this afternoon, Mr Iemma heeded week-long calls from the NSW Opposition to stand the Education Minister aside.
In response to the incident on Monday, the Premier only ordered Mr Della Bosca to explain his actions to Parliament and avoid driving.
Mr Iemma said he had based his decision on his Minister's account of events and the apology.
But today, he said Mr Della Bosca had not made it clear in his account that he had helped write the Iguanas' statement.
Mr Della Bosca is due to respond to today's move later this afternoon in central western NSW, where he has re-opened a high school that was destroyed by fire.
Earlier today, he said there was nothing wrong with him writing a draft apology after he called one of the Iguanas owners.
"I had several discussions with the co-owner and he agreed to issue an apology in the terms that were signed," he said.
"It's a perfectly reasonable thing to negotiate the terms of an apology. I've been defamed by claims that they realised were wrong and they wanted to apologise."
It was revealed earlier this week that Ms Neal served on a board for three years with one of the club's owners.
Investigation
Some Iguanas staff are standing by their accusations and a witness has come forward supporting their accounts.
But Mr Della Bosca and Ms Neal's dining companions have written statutory declarations backing their denials.
Police are investigating the conflicting statements after a request from Mr O'Farrell. If anyone lied in their declaration, they could face a maximum penalty of five years' jail.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a stern rebuke to Ms Neal on Wednesday, telling her no-one's political future was guaranteed. She has agreed to seek anger management counselling.
The federal MP is also facing claims she kicked a fellow player on the soccer field, as well as a renewed attack over claims she told a pregnant Liberal MP evil thoughts would turn her unborn baby into a demon.
Leadership speculation
Mr Iemma will also face questions this afternoon about speculation of a leadership spill, which his office has described as fantasy.
Emergency Minister Nathan Rees has rejected a Daily Telegraph report that Labor MPs are pushing for him to become deputy premier and former minister Carmel Tebbutt to be premier.
"It's a good nomination for the Miles Franklin Award for fiction and I'll leave it at that," he said.
Viewed 13/06/08 at 14:28
