FRIDAY MARCH 22 1996

Rindos 'overjoyed' by new probe move

BY SHAUN ANTHONY

THE events surrounding the denial of tenure to former UWA academic Dr David Rindos will be probed by a parliamentary committee, the Upper House committee on government agencies announced yesterday.

It said particular note had been taken of information provided by Labor MLC Mark Nevill and recent "extensive and contradictory" news reports on the affair.

Mr Nevill, who gave the committee information on the affair in December, said he was pleased.

"I hope the committee looks at the procedures that are being followed at the university," he said.

"Rindos, on the evidence I have seen, has been dealt with unfairly."

Dr Rindos said he was "blown away and overjoyed" by the decision.

It will bring to three the number of on-going inquiries into the affair--a committee of the university senate and the State Ombudsman are also investigating the matter.

Committee chairman, Liberal MLC Barry House, said although the university was a Federally funded institution, it fell within the committee's jurisdiction to investigate the matter because it was constituted under State legislation.

Committee member, Labor MLC Kim Chance, said he thought the investigating committee would define its terms of reference at a meeting on Thursday.

He also expected the committee to consult the Ombudsman and would not intentionally cross paths with his investigations.-

UWA deputy vice-chancellor Alan Robson said he was not surprised by the announcement and thought the committee had been gearing up for it.