Fed: Boehm says met Baird staffer twice

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2000
Fed: Boehm says met Baird staffer twice

CANBERRA, Dec 5 AAP - An independent candidate in federal backbencher Bruce Baird's
seat said today he had met with the former NSW minister's staffer twice to discuss a preference
deal.

Darren Boehm, an independent candidate in the southern Sydney seat of Cook, claimed
a staffer of Mr Baird's offered to cover his $7,000 in printing costs in exchange for
preferences.

"In printing, if they were to pay for the printing of further promotional material,
about $5,000," Mr Boehm told ABC Radio.

"That's what they were prepared to look at printing at the time because that was what
was still to come."

But last night, Mr Baird and his former staffer denied the claims, describing them
as baseless and untrue.

"Never at any time were such proposals considered, discussed or acted on and such a
suggestion is a fantasy of Mr Boehm's imagination," he said.

Mr Boehm said he was sorry to hear the staffer could not remember him because he had
met him twice and spoken to him on the phone three times.

"I'm sorry to hear that he can't remember given the fact that just after the actual
nominations were drawn he and I were actually introduced to each other by the current
federal member for Cook," he said.

"We had met all up two to nearly three times, I'm sure it is two times at least face
to face. Three phone calls and face to face we've met twice."

Mr Boehm collected just 1.35 per cent of the vote in the election.

AAP eg/mg

KEYWORD: ELECTORAL COOK

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