POLICE ALLOWED DRUG RUN TO GO ON: KIZON

NORTHBRIDGE businessman John Kizon claimed police were so keen to catch him
that they allowed protected witness Andrew Petrelis to run drugs between
Perth and Sydney.

Mr Kizon hit back hours before the ABC was due to air a Four Corners
program naming him as the main target of the ill-fated inquiry Operation
Red Emperor which was axed in 1997.

The program, which follows reports by The West Australian said police
believed he did not have an Australian bank account in 1997, and had
claimed to earn just $15,000 in six years to 1993 but made investments
worth $3 million.

Mr Kizon said he would show the ABC tax documents proving he paid $250,000
settlement tax in 1988-1995.

His former nightclub earnings had been banked in the National Australia Bank.

"This is an orchestrated propaganda campaign to discredit my name so it
stops me doing legal business in this State," he said.

Former police inspector Chris Cull and suspended Det-Sgt Peter Coombs told
how Red Emperor had unearthed police corruption but nothing had been done
about it.

Both officers were suspended by police and investigated by the
Anti-Corruption Commission in 1997 - Mr Cull resigned after he was
reinstated but Sgt Coombs remains stood down.

Mr Kizon said it appeared that police officers who had been caught up in
Anti-Corruption Commission inquiries were using him as a scapegoat.

They seemed to be saying that wrongdoing could be excused so long as John
Kizon was caught but it had to be remembered that he was not involved in
their ACC troubles, he said.

Mr Kizon said he had information indicating that dead protected witness
Andrew Petrelis had run amphetamines and cannabis to the eastern states
with police knowledge.

Mr Petrelis died in suspicious circumstances in 1995, one month before he
was due to give evidence against former butcher Michael Rippingale in a
drug conspiracy case with Mr Kizon

"He was allowed to do anything he wanted to do," Mr Kizon said, claiming
that Mr Petrelis had agreed to help police in order to free his girlfriend
from drug charges.

Mr Kizon said Len Roberts-Smith QC had never interviewed him for the recent
inquiry into the witness protection program and the report on the inquiry
was a whitewash.

Mr Roberts-Smith said Mr Kizon's position on the death of Mr Petrelis was
well known. He did not feel he could add anything to the terms of reference
which centred on witness protection.

Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Terry O'Connor QC said planned to
publicise reports of ACC investigations on police within the next few
weeks, naming officers.

The reports would be tabled in both Houses of State Parliament so that the
public could be informed of the work of the ACC. He denied the ploy
amounted to naming and shaming.

Earlier in the day Police Commissioner Barry Matthews said he had
reservations about officers who were named. But he did not rule out that
charges could be laid against former sergeant Murray Shadgett who got
details about Mr Petrelis"new identity on the police computer in 1995. Mr
Shadgett recently left the police service on health grounds.

And the State Opposition said the latest developments intensified calls for
a royal commission in WA Police.

Police Minister Kevin Prince is expected to table Mr Roberts-Smith's report
on witness protection in State Parliament tomorrow.

Former WA police commissioner Bob Falconer last night defended his decision
to disband Operation Red Emperor.

Mr Falconer said the decision to close the unit had been backed by Mr Matthews.

"I reject any notion that there was something sinister about the closing
down of Red Emperor," Mr Falconer said."If I can use a fish quote, that's a
red herring."