WA: Union official faces court after Howard visit

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2001
WA: Union official faces court after Howard visit

PERTH, Aug 1 AAP - A union official faced a Perth court today after he was arrested
for trying to add Prime Minister John Howard's signature to Labor's Telstra pledge.

Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) branch secretary John Theodorsen was arrested
shortly before Mr Howard arrived at a community function in suburban Perth last Friday.

He was charged with trespass after refusing to leave the Italian Club premises.

The union official had been carrying the giant cheque-like Telstra pledge signed earlier
that week by opposition communication spokesman Stephen Smith.

He was granted $500 bail on Friday on the condition he would not go within 500m of
the prime minister.

Theodorsen was granted a 14-day remand in the Perth Magistrate's Court today to seek
further information about the trespass charge.

He will appear in the court again on August 15.

Outside the court, he said he could not comment on the matter before the court.

But he said he would continue to pursue the matter of Telstra ownership.

"I think all Australians have the right to petition our prime minister about this and
other matters of public importance, provided we conduct ourselves in a polite and peaceful
manner," Theodorsen said.

"The issue of Telstra's ownership is an important matter of public interest.

"Prime Minister Howard has not been upfront about Telstra and he wants people to think
that the company is safe in public hands when in fact, his government is committed to
a full sale," he said.

Mr Howard left Perth on Sunday after attending the annual Liberal party state conference
over the weekend and meeting drought-affected farmers.

AAP lk/las/sb

KEYWORD: HOWARD ARREST

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