Fed: Anderson sacks two staff over roads bungle

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-2001
Fed: Anderson sacks two staff over roads bungle

Transport Minister JOHN ANDERSON has moved in response to last week's revelation of
the national $3-billion road-funding blunder, sacking two of his most senior staff.

Mr ANDERSON has axed principal adviser STEPHEN OXLEY and land transport adviser PETER
WALSH in response to last week's revelation by the Auditor-General that successive governments
have failed to commit sufficient petrol-excise revenue to roads.

Mr ANDERSON and the government were embarrassed when his office failed to inform him
of the auditor's report and the questions it raised until after it was tabled in parliament.

The report found just 3.1 cents a litre of fuel excise was being spent on roads, rather
than 4.95 cents as required.

Mr OXLEY, the head of Mr ANDERSON's office who's worked for the minister for more than
nine years, accepted responsibility for the error.

AAP RTV rft/sub/jx

KEYWORD: ROADS (CANBERRA)

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