AGY-5169 | Special Commission of Inquiry into allegations made by Robert Bottom on 28th October 1983

Full description

A Special Commission of Inquiry into allegations made by Robert Bottom on 28th October 1983 was established, pursuant to s. 21 of the Special Commission of Inquiry Act, 1983 (No.90, 1983), by Letters Patent on 8 November 1983. (1) Mr Justice Cross was appointed as Commissioner. On 21 December 1982 the Commission was extended to 31 March 1984. (2)

The terms of reference for the Commission were to investigate:

(1) “Whether, as alleged by Robert Bottom on 28 October, 1983, in the course of a television programme called "Good Morning Australia", a New South Wales Magistrate met by agreement with a person who was a crime figure, and as a result of an agreement reached at that meeting:-
(a) certain charges then pending in a New South Wales Court were later dismissed by the Magistrate; and
(b) another person also charged with an offence or offences had reason to be confident of being similarly discharged; and
(2) Whether there is or was any evidence or sufficient evidence warranting the prosecution of any person or persons, whom you are to specify in your report, for any offence or offences, which you are to specify in your report, arising out of the matters referred to in paragraph 1 above. “ (3)

The Commissioner presented his report to the Governor Sir James Rowland on 31 March 1984.

Endnotes
1. Special Commission of Inquiry into allegations made by Robert Bottom on 28th October 1983: Records of the Special Commission of Inquiry: Report, 31 March 1984, pp. 82-83, NRS 1686, [4/9046.2].
2. Ibid., pp. 92-93.
3. Ibid., pp. 82-83.