Kons pulps judge

Michael Stedman Mercury
STEVE Kons has accused former judge Christopher Wright of using his role as pulp mill assessor as a “money-making exercise”. The former deputy premier and attorney-general made his scathing attack on Mr Wright under parliamentary privilege. Mr Kons started the day by criticising the committee inquiring into senior government appointments, saying it had been used to discredit individuals and ruin reputations. But Mr Kons later unleashed an unprompted attack on Mr Wright, who was brought in to head the pulp mill assessment process after the resignation of Julian Green early last year. Mr Kons said Mr Wright was “not interested in the job” and treated it as a “money-making exercise”. … He said Mr Kons’ version of events was plainly wrong because he did not resign from his post. “I was working hard up to the very minute Gunns pulled out,” Mr Wright said. He only threatened to resign after he said he felt “pressured” and “leaned on” by former Premier Paul Lennon to speed up the assessment process. … Committee chairman Paul Harriss said he was surprised by Mr Kons’ comments. “He is entitled to have his view,” Mr Harriss said. “He has known he was under protection of privilege and chosen to use that forum to be very critical of Christopher Wright, but at the same time accusing others of using parliamentary privilege to raise matters of significance.” Read more here