Michael Daley admits it was wrong to blame SCG Trust for ripping out fire sprinklers ‘under darkness’

Labor Leader Michael Daley has conceded he was wrong to claim fire sprinklers were ripped out of Allianz Stadium “under cover of darkness” by the SCG Trust. WATCH DALEY BEING QUESTIONED.

• Daley accuses SCG Board of ‘collusion’
• Daley threatens to sack Alan Jones from SCG Trust

Labor Leader Michael Daley has conceded he was wrong to claim fire sprinklers were ripped out of Allianz Stadium “under cover of darkness” by the SCG Trust.

Mr Daley made the claims in an interview with 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones on March 5 and has repeatedly denied they were incorrect.

And in a radio interview with 2GB Drive host Ben Fordham on Tuesday, Mr Daley continued to defend himself for more than seven minutes — even insisting what he said was a “metaphor” — before finally admitting his error.

ELECTION PODCAST: LABOR MP’S CHINESE APOLOGY

Michael Daley has conceded he was wrong to claim the fire sprinkler were ripped out “under darkness” by the SCG Trust. Picture: Supplied

Mr Daley made the claims during an interview with 2GB’s Alan Jones. Picture: AAP Image/Ben Rushton

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His staff have previously said he was talking broadly on “soft demolition” at the stadium.

And Mr Daley has told the ABC he was talking about sprinklers on the field.

When asked on Tuesday why it was “so hard” to admit he was wrong, Mr Daley told Fordham: “That’s fine. If they say there were no fire sprinklers at the time and there weren’t, then that’s fine. I got it wrong.”

It came as Mr Daley revealed he’d received a letter threatening defamation action from one of the 14 members of the SCG Trust board.

It’s believed the threat was made over his interview with Mr Jones in which he threatened to sack the entire board.

At the time, it was reported trustee and businessman Maurice Newman was considering legal action but last night he would not say if he had sent the letter.

Mr Newman asked whether Mr Daley’s admission of error was accompanied by an apology and said “given the seriousness of his accusation that would be the very minimum that trustees should expect”.