Fed: Ruddock intervenes in Clark's legal funding furore

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Fed: Ruddock intervenes in Clark's legal funding furore

CANBERRA, Feb 25 AAP - Aboriginal Affairs Minister Philip Ruddock bowed to public pressuretoday by intervening in a furore over ATSIC funding for its chairman Geoff Clark's legaldefence on assault charges.

Mr Ruddock wrote today to Mr Clark asking him to convene an urgent meeting of Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Commissioners to reconsider the issue of his legal expenses.

The previous board agreed before the ATSIC elections in December last year to offer$45,000 to Mr Clark to defend charges, including assaulting police, that followed a pubbrawl in Victoria.

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