NSW: Disgraced ex-minister taken off Centenary Medal list
By Peter Williams
SYDNEY, April 17 AAP - Disgraced former NSW minister Rex Jackson has been removed froma list of Centenary Medal recipients, the prime minister's department said today.
The former corrective services minister, jailed in 1987 for three years on briberycharges, had been nominated for the award which honours people who have made a contributionto Australian society or government.
"Mr Jackson will not receive a medal," said a spokesman for the Department of PrimeMinister and Cabinet today.
"The final list of awardees has not been announced. Details will be released in the near future."
The spokesman could not say when the department removed Mr Jackson from the list.
He said the Wran government frontbencher would have been automatically nominated forthe honour because he had served more than 25 years in the NSW parliament.
Anybody who was an MP for that long in state or federal parliament was eligible for the medal.
A spokesman for Cunningham MP Michael Organ, whose federal electorate includes Mr Jackson'shome town of Helensburgh north of Wollongong, said it would have been unusual for theformer Labor minister to receive the honour.
"It did seem strange that a person jailed effectively for misusing his parliamentaryoffice should be awarded a medal for service to Australian society through parliament,"
he said.
Mr Jackson was convicted of conspiracy to accept bribes to release prisoners undera licence program.
Prime Minister John Howard announced the creation of the Centenary Medal in December2001 to honour living persons who had made a contribution to Australian society or government,including anyone born in 1901 or earlier.
Nominees are considered by the independent Council for the Centenary Medal before beingendorsed by the Prime Minister's department and the governor-general.
Mr Jackson could not be reached for comment.
AAP pw/nf/was/de
KEYWORD: JACKSON
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