Junie Morosi (born 26 July 1933) is an Australian businesswoman, who became a public figure in the 1970s through her relationship with Jim Cairns, Deputy Prime Minister in the Whitlam Labor government.
Tom Uren, another Whitlam minister and one of Cairns's closest friends, later recorded that "Jim and Junie were attracted to each other from the first time they met.
[3][4] In December 1974 Cairns offered Morosi a position as his Principal Private Secretary, a job traditionally held by a senior public servant.
Her business background made the offer at least defensible, but she had no knowledge of Australian politics or economics, and not much experience of managing a large and complex office.
"[citation needed] Cairns and others pointed out that Elizabeth Reid, who had been appointed Whitlam's advisor on women's issues in 1973, had received the same sort of media attention.
[citation needed] After investigation, it was revealed that there were no irregularities and on 13 December 1974 it was reported that Morosi would accept Cairns' offer of employment.
"[citation needed] During the Australian Labor Party's National Conference in February 1975, Cairns gave an interview to a hostile reporter in which he spoke of "a kind of love" for Morosi.
The press continued to encourage speculation; at the National Conference, a photographer hid in a tree and waited while Morosi, her husband, Cairns and his wife were having breakfast on a balcony.
[5] Harris had offered to secure loan funds for the Australian government and in March 1975, Cairns signed a letter agreeing to a 2.5% commission.
Many blamed the disorganised state of Cairns’ office for what ultimately turned out to be a misleading statement to parliament in June that he had not authorised any such commission.
Ironically, politicians from across the aisle – Malcolm Fraser and a number of his ministers – spoke out in defence of Cairns on this subject, agreeing that they too signed letters of which they had little or no memory.
[citation needed] Cairns and Morosi subsequently severed any formal links with the Down to Earth movement in 1979, leaving a legacy of ill-feeling and disputes over money which eventually led to litigation in the New South Wales courts.
[citation needed] The Down To Earth (Victoria)Cooperative Society LTD continues to host an annual ConFest (Conference Festival) that Jim Cairns initiated in 1976.
In recent years the cooperative has extended invitations to Junie to attend festivals with appreciation of her role as a key founder and members have interviewed her in her home.
[citation needed] Despite the inquiry's findings, the government froze the grant and attempted various circuitous measures to ensure that the Wyuna Co-operative could not make use of it.
Media outlets continued to make allegations about her relationship with Cairns, and she successfully sued 2GB and The Daily Mirror for defamation.