The government decided to drop the Australia Hall court case against the Labour Party because it could not risk losing the former Freedom Press at Marsa, which was badly needed for a major national project of strategic importance.

This was said this evening by Michael Farrugia, then Land Parliamentary Secretary during a meeting of Parliament’s Public Affairs Committee.

Questioned by committee chairman Tonio Fenech, Dr Farrugia said the Attorney General had not actually advised or directed the government to drop the case, but had given a brief of the pros and cons of possible action.

Asked if it would have been more transparent for the government to let the courts first decide on the case, he said it would not have been wise to shelve the Marsa project until the courts took their time to decide.

There had been one of two decisions to take: either take back the former Australia Hall and Raffles Discotheque and scupper the Marsa project, or drop the case.

Dr Farrugia said the decision had served the government better than the MLP.

 

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