INDEPENDENT NEWS

Aussie Foul Play

Published: Wed 11 Jul 2001 01:39 PM
The Australian rugby league team is being accused of dirty tactics by Customs Minister Jim Anderton.
He's vowing to attend Friday night's rugby league test to cheer on the kiwis, after Australian fullback Darren Lockyer failed to declare dirty boots as he entered the country.
MAF fined him $200 while a trainer was also fined and the Kangaroos promptly claimed they were hard done by.
But Jim Anderton is asking whether the Kangaroos have ever heard of foot and mouth disease.
"Don't come the raw prawn with me, mate. There are good biosecurity reasons for our strict border controls.
"The best place to settle this is on the field at the Wellington Stadium. I'll be there and I'm urging New Zealanders to show their support for our agricultural exporters by supporting our kiwis."
Jim Anderton says the Kangaroos didn't appear to notice that it was MAF, not Customs, that fined the fullback.
"If they can't tell the difference between MAF officers and Customs officers who wear different coloured uniforms, how are they going to be able to tell who to pass the ball to?"
Ends

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