Club manager apologises – Staff stand by claims against MPs
Higgins, Ean. John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 June 2008: 2.
Abstract
One of the statutory declarations, which can lead to up to five years’ imprisonment if they are found by a court to be falsely made, was that of [Steven Anthony Twitchin], the manager of Iguanas. In that sworn declaration, Mr Twitchin said that after he intervened in an escalating dispute between his staff and Ms [Belinda Neal] and Mr [John Della Bosca], almost immediately Ms Neal “told me I would lose my liquor licence in three months”.
Mr Twitchin says in his statutory declaration that afterwards, as Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca prepared to drive away with the state minister in the driver’s seat, he “expressed concern that as licensee, two of my patrons were about to leave in a car after consuming an amount of alcohol”. “My operations manager contacted police to report the drink-drive situation,” he wrote.
“Ms Niel (sic) proceeded to call me ‘a liar’, ‘immature’, ‘ignorant’, ‘rude’ and described the way I handled their relocation as ‘a disgrace’
Full Text
ONE of six people who signed astatutory declaration making serious allegations against federal Labor MP Belinda Neal and her husband, NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca, went public last night to stand by theclaims.
Thomas Crocker, one of the workers and managers at a nightclub on the NSW central coast to make a statutory declaration, claims Ms Neal threatened them with losing their jobs and having the nightclub closed.
Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca deny claims by staff of Iguanas Waterfront Bar in Gosford of drunkenly and aggressively engaging them in a verbal brawl on Friday night, ending with a manager calling police to inform them of a “drink-driving situation” as they drove away from their dinner, with the NSW minister at the wheel.
In his statement, Mr Crocker says Ms Neal said she would claim the establishment served underage drinkers and said: “I’m going to have this place’s f…ing licence removed.”
The other five statements, copies of which have been obtained by The Australian, support the allegations made by Mr Crocker about the events on Friday night.
One by operations manager Jared Golla says at one stage he asked Ms Neal to leave or he would call the police. Mr Golla claims Ms Neal responded: “Don’t you know who I am?”
One of the statutory declarations, which can lead to up to five years’ imprisonment if they are found by a court to be falsely made, was that of Steven Twitchin, the manager of Iguanas. In that sworn declaration, Mr Twitchin said that after he intervened in an escalating dispute between his staff and Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca, almost immediately Ms Neal “told me I would lose my liquor licence in three months”.
The fracas appears to have started when staff asked Mr Della Bosca, Ms Neal and two friends with whom they were dining to move to another table to clear the dance floor.
Mr Twitchin says in his statutory declaration that afterwards, as Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca prepared to drive away with the state minister in the driver’s seat, he “expressed concern that as licensee, two of my patrons were about to leave in a car after consuming an amount of alcohol”. “My operations manager contacted police to report the drink-drive situation,” he wrote.
After intervention by Mr Della Bosca, who rang the bosses of Iguanas on Saturday, Mr Twitchin changed tack.
“I write to make an apology,” Mr Twitchin said in an unsworn statement yesterday, distributed by Mr Della Bosca’s staff. “No one in your party was abusive, swearing or intoxicated.”
Mr Crocker told The Australian last night the original allegations, including that staff were ordered not to serve Ms Neal any more alcohol, were true.
“Yes, I stand by the statutory declaration,” Mr Crocker said.
The allegations will put pressure on Mr Della Bosca, who has been involved in a series of scandals in recent months, including the imminent loss of his driver’s licence for speeding.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma yesterday issued a statement saying: “I have asked Minister Della Bosca to provide me with a full written account of his version of events by Monday morning. He has verbally assured me he was not at fault.”
Mr Iemma faces a dilemma in dealing with Mr Della Bosca. Although the long-standing minister and powerbroker has lost considerable support within his dominant Right faction, he remains important to Mr Iemma as an ally in the Premier’s do-or-die determination to privatise the state’s energy sector.
NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell called on Mr Iemma to sack Mr Della Bosca. He said the minister had lied to parliament by saying he was no longer driving following notice that his licence would be suspended in coming weeks, but had confirmed he drove away from the club on Friday night.
Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson declined to comment. But a Coalition source said the allegations against Ms Neal went to the core of federal MP conduct.
Ms Neal did not appear before the media yesterday, and declined to answer written questions from The Australian about the allegations in the six statutory declarations. She issued a statement that repeated Mr Twitchin’s apology, and said the media “had completely misreported the events alleged to have occurred at Iguanas”.
—– STATUTORY DECLARATIONS —–
Jared Werner Golla – Iguanas employee
“I noticed a heated exchange taking place between one particular patron now know (sic) to me as Belinda Neil (Federal Member for
Robertson) and two of my staff”
At approximately 21h10, according to Mr Golla
“I will have your f**cking license (sic). You will not be trading in 3 months time. What’s your f**king name? I will have your job as well. I
will have the police down here every weekend to close you down.”
Ms Neal after she followed Mr Golla into a restricted area and was asked to wait outside
“I am going to have to ask you to leave. If you don’t wish to leave yourself then I will call the police and ask them to have you removed.”
Mr Golla to Ms Neal
Steven Anthony Twitchin
General manager of Iguanas Waterfront Bar
“I was accused of serving under age patrons + encouraging binge drinking by stopping the service of schooners at 2100hrs (sic). Both of
these allegations are incorrect, I have CCTV footage to support my defence.”
After Mr Twitchin had approached Mr Della Bosca and Ms Neal in the car park
“I was told I had assaulted Ms Neil (sic) verbally, I denied this + expressed my concern that as licensee 2 of my patrons were about to leave in a car after consuming an amount of alcohol + under my duty of care we were calling the police, at which time they both denied that Mr Deleboska (sic) had been drinking.”
Shortly before Mr Della Bosca drove off and Mr Golla reported the incident to the police
Thomas Andrew Crocker – Iguanas employee
“Ms Niel (sic) proceeded to call me ‘a liar’, ‘immature’, ‘ignorant’, ‘rude’ and described the way I handled their relocation as ‘a disgrace’
After Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca were informed they would need to move to another table
As I approached I heard Ms Niel (sic) say ‘I’m going to have this place’s f**king license (sic) removed’
As Mr Crocker approached Ms Neal and Mr Golla outside the restricted area
Today’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper makes a series of claims which are untrue.
When friends were treated rudely by staff, my wife and I asked to speak to the manager. Staff refused this request and an argument ensued.
We chose to leave, but were approached in the car park by an employee of the club. He threatened to make allegations against me and my wife.
I have broken no law.
I regret that the situation arose and I remain very unhappy about the treatment we received.
— Extracts from a statement released yesterday by Mr Della Bosca
Federal Member for Robertson, Ms Belinda Neal, said today that media reports over the weekend had completely misreported the events alleged to have occurred at Iguana’s Waterfront, Gosford last Friday evening.
— Extract from a statement sent out yesterday on behalf of Ms Neal
This written apology clarifies the situation and brings the matter to a close
— Ms Neal referring to the Iguanas apology, which she attached
Credit: Ean Higgins, John Stapleton