Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Activities of the Nugan Hand Group

Constituted by Letters Patent of 28 March 1983, issued by the Hawke government, which varied the 1981 Letters Patent of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking so that Justice Donald Stewart would also inquire whether the Nugan Hand Group (Frank Nugan, Michael Hand and their companies) had contravened Commonwealth laws on drugs, armaments or exchange control, whether it had corrupted Commonwealth officers or obstructed investigations, having regard to the reports of the Commonwealth/New South Wales Joint Task Force on Drug Trafficking. New South Wales issued a parallel commission.

Legislation: Royal Commissions Act 1902

1. 6 December 1983Interim report tabled in federal Parliament.
2. 15 December 1983Reporting date extended to 30 June 1984.
3. 27 June 1984Reporting date extended to 31 December 1984.
4. 21 December 1984Reporting date extended to 30 April 1985.
5. 29 March 1985Reporting date for the Nugan Hand matters set at 30 June 1985, when the Letters Patent were also varied to add an inquiry into alleged telephone interceptions.

The final report was due by 30 June 1985 and was delivered in 1985 (month estimated from that deadline). It found that the bank had engaged in money laundering, tax avoidance and widespread breaches of banking law, but that allegations of drug smuggling, arms dealing and CIA involvement were not supported by credible evidence. The Parliamentary Handbook gives 27 November 1985 as the date the final report was presented.

• Inquiry into the activities of the Nugan Hand Group
• Inquiry into alleged drug, arms and exchange control offences
• Inquiry into interference with law enforcement investigations

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Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.