Showing posts with label ICAC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ICAC. Show all posts

Monday 8 September 2014

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) OPERATION SPICER witness list for week commencing 8 September 2014 - witness cheat sheet UPDATED


NSW ICAC OPERATION SPICER witness list for week commencing 8 September 2014:

Monday 8 September

Mark Neeham - former State Director of the New South Wales Liberal Party, executive director polling/lobbying firm Crosby Textor
Michael Photios - member of the NSW Liberal Party's state executive until September 2013, contracted by Australian Water Holdings in 2011 to lobby NSW O’Farrell Government, chairman of registered lobbyist company Premier State Consulting Pty Ltd
Michael Yabsley - former Liberal NSW MLC and former minister in the Greiner Government, former Honorary Federal Treasurer of Liberal Party of Australia and former member of the party's Federal Finance Committee, CEO Australia Gulf Council, founding director of Government Relations Australia now merged into GRACosway lobbyists for mining interests such as AGL, MMG & QGC
John Pegg - member of the three-man panel appointed by NSW Premier Mike Baird to take control of the state party’s finances, property and fundraising in the wake evidence before ICAC
Nicholas Jones – electoral officer of Gary Edwards, the NSW Liberal MP for Swansea who moved to the cross bench, after allegations during evidence that he had received an unlawful political donation

Tuesday 9 September

Barry O'Farrell - NSW Liberal MP for Ku-ring-gai,  resigned as Premier and Minister for Western Sydney effective 17 April 2014 and moved to the back bench when it was proven that he had not told the truth when giving evidence at a NSW Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Credo hearing in relation to an undeclared $3,000 gift from the then CEO of Australian Water Holdings.
Nicholas Campbell - director at The Dame Patty Menzies Liberal Foundation Ltd
Natasha McLaren-Jones - Liberal Party NSW MLC since March 2011
Lee Brinkmeyer - political donor to NSW Liberal Party, Queanbeyan property developer with Elmslea Development, possibly related to land speculator and former president of the Queanbeyan branch of the Liberal Party Alex Brinkmeyer
Mark Vaile – former Nationals MP for Lyne, former leader of the Federal National Party and deputy prime minister, Independent Non-Executive Director at Whitehaven Coal Ltd, shareholder in Whitehaven through Wendmar Pty Ltd
Anthony Bandle - chartered accountant Bandle McAneney & Co, trustee of Canberra-based associated entity Free Enterprise Foundation, previously called as a witness in Operation Spicer hearing in May 2014 

Wednesday 10 September

Not sitting day


Thursday 11 September 2014

Wayne Brown - NSW Liberal party state executive member
Aaron Henry - member of the Liberal Party and former staffer with Liberal MP for The Entrance Chris Spence now sitting on the cross benches as an independent after expulsion from the party
Robert Webster - former NSW Planning and Energy Minister in Greiner Coalition Government

Friday 12 September 2014

Craig Baumann - NSW Liberal MP for Port Stephens previously mentioned in evidence given during Operation Spicer
Jeff McCloy – property developer, Chairman of the McCloy Group, former Newcastle mayor who resigned his mayoral position due to admissions that he had made to ICAC that he had made unlawful political donations to the NSW Liberal Party
Hilton Grugeon - millionaire NSW property developer and owner of the Hunter Advantage company, co-founder of Hunter Land Pty Ltd
Vincent Heufel – accountant, Heufel Partners Business Advisers Pty Ltd 
Richard Shields - General Manager Government and Stakeholder Relations at Insurance Council Of Australia, former Metgasco Ltd External Relations Manager, former Deputy Director of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) and former Interim State Director
Ray Carter - former electorate officer for then NSW Resources and Energy Minister Chris Hartcher
Arthur Sinodinos  Federal Liberal Senator for NSW and Assistant Treasurer in the Abbott Government  - not fulfilling assistant treasurer duties for the duration of the ICAC Operation Credo and Operation Spicer investigations, after allegations concerning the corporation Australia Water Holdings of which he was a director were made during Operation Credo 

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption now has evidence before it that implicates members of the election campaign team which helped Tony Abbott become Prime Minister of Australia




Well it can no longer be ignored, the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption now has evidence before it that implicates members of the election campaign team which helped Tony Abbott achieve his goal of becoming Prime Minister of Australia.

This is a section of the 2010 email (above) copied to Brian Loughnane, Federal Director of the Liberal Party of Australia and husband of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, as well as Arthur Sinodinos who was then Honorary Treasurer of the NSW Division of the Liberal Party and a former chief of staff to John Howard when he was prime minister:



This email makes it clear that one property developer is unlawfully donating $25,000 to the NSW Liberal Party of Australia via the party’s federal associated entity, the Free Enterprise Foundation.

So will Brian Loughnane assert that he didn't read his emails in 2010 or will he, like Senator Sinodinos' lawyer, claim that routing unlawful donations to the NSW Liberal Party through the Free Enterprise Foundation was a legitimate action.

UPDATE

According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald on 8 September 2014, Liberal Party MP for Mackellar and Speaker in the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop has been identified in evidence before the Operation Spicer investigation as being a director of the Dame Pattie Menzies Foundation Trust which received $11,000 from the Free Enterprise Foundation on December 9, 2010, which it then directed to the NSW branch of the party for use in the 2011 state election and The previous day, Mr Partridge has sent a cheque for $125,000 to the Free Enterprise Foundation with a note which read: "We trust this donation will provide assistance with the 2011 NSW State election campaign". Additionally, A $2000 donation to the Dame Pattie foundation from Australian Corporate Holdings, a company connected to Sydney property developer and sailor Syd Fischer, was also passed on to the NSW Liberals.

The same article also pointed out that:

Previously suppressed emails at a corruption inquiry raise serious concerns about major donors to the Liberal Party being rewarded with extraordinary access to senior party figures.
The emails are from the chief fundraiser of the NSW Liberal Party Paul Nicolaou to Peta Credlin, one of the most powerful figures in the federal government….
As well as being chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Ms Credlin is married to Brian Loughnane, the party's federal director.
The emails reveal that, in March 2011, while in Opposition, Ms Credlin was advised by Mr Nicolaou that the managing director of Brickworks, Lindsay Partridge, was "a very good supporter to the party".
 Brickworks was one of the largest corporate donors to the Liberal Party, giving a massive $384,000 in a nine-month period from July 2010 to April 2011.
As well as its brand Austral Bricks, Brickworks also lists property development as a core business. The ICAC has heard that Brickworks used the Free Enterprise Foundation, a shadowy Canberra-based organisation, to channel $125,000 in illicit donations  to the NSW Liberals for the March 2011 state election.

Saturday 6 September 2014

Playing hide and seek with NSW ICAC Operation Spicer exhibits


An interesting incident which occurred during evidence given by former NSW Greiner Coalition Government minister, Robert Webster on 4 September 2014:

MR WATSON: I’m sorry to interrupt but there’s been something drawn to
my attention. I understand there’s some complaint made about material
which is Exhibit Z83 and Z84 they’ve been removed from the screen.
Perhaps it’s better for present purposes, Commissioner, if you make a
suppression order in respect of the material which had previously been put
onto the unrestricted website and marked as - - -
THE COMMISSIONER: Well can you give me a page number?
MR WATSON: No, well at the moment I can’t and I know it’s not the
whole of the volumes but I’m just doing this as some sort of general
protection. We’ve been threatened - - -
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (not transcribable)
MR WATSON: Well I don't know anything about this but I’m trying to
protect them but I’ve got some people who’ve got a better idea then go for
their lives.
THE COMMISSIONER: Anyway the solution presently is, I don’t want to
interrupt this for too long, the solution presently is that Z83 and Z84 are
restricted from publication in their entirety until that order is varied.
Z83 AND Z84 ARE RESTRICTED FROM PUBLICATION IN THEIR
ENTIRETY UNTIL THAT ORDER IS VARIED
MR WATSON: And I’ll have a look at this correspondence and - - -
THE COMMISSIONER: All right, thank you.
MR DUGGAN: It might be something (not transcribable)
MR WATSON: I think it’s not coming from Senator Sinodinos it was
coming from the Liberal Party.
MR DUGGAN: I thank Counsel Assisting for raising this issue and we can
talk about it after (not transcribable)
MR WATSON: Yes. I’m sorry, I - - -

Both restricted exhibits are from The Free Enterprise Foundation folders and one these folders contained some correspondence from the Liberal Party of Australia Millennium Forum whose official patrons in 2010-11 were Tony Abbott MP and Barry O’Farrell.

The Sydney Morning Herald 5 September 2014:

Media organisations have joined forces at a corruption inquiry to fight a suppression order over a controversial chain of emails involving a "very well known person" and a Liberal identity.
The emails, headed "Re Carbon Tax", were suppressed at the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday after questions were raised about whether publishing the documents would breach parliamentary privilege.
Robert Newlinds, SC, the barrister for NSW Liberal Senator and former party president Arthur Sinodinos, wrote to the ICAC to alert the commission to the potential breach.
"The letter we wrote simply said that we were somewhat perturbed that there may be a breach by counsel assisting [Geoffrey Watson, SC] and the commission of the federal Parliamentary Privileges Act," Mr Newlinds told the hearing on Thursday afternoon.
"I don't really want to say out loud what the topic is because the private individual is a very well known person.
"I  just don't want this to get out. Can we at least have a suppression order about the debate."
The hearing was closed to the public while the matter was discussed.
On Friday, media organisations including Fairfax Media  (the publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review), the ABC, News Ltd and Channel 9, briefed barrister Sandy Dawson to challenge a suppression order over the emails.
Several journalists had read the emails before they were suppressed.
The emails were tendered as part of a public exhibit on Thursday morning during the ICAC's inquiry into Liberal Party fundraising.....

The risible aspect of all this, is that notoriously biased Liberal Party MP and Speaker in the House of Representatives, Bronwyn Bishop, is being asked by ICAC to rule on whether the exhibits can be made public.

Thursday 4 September 2014

Ex-News Corp journalist & Abbott propagandist Steve Lewis now a lobbyist with Newgate Communications


Steve Lewis, the former News Corp journalist who ran the ‘Abbott in Opposition’ political spin on many subjects, has joined Newgate Communications as a senior advisor. 

This company is a lobbyist at federal level for twenty-one companies – including Whitehaven Coal which has been mentioned in evidence in NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Jasper and Operation Spicer investigations.

Managing partner of the Australian branch of Newgate Communication is Brian Tyson who worked as a press secretary for the Greiner and Fahey NSW Coalition Governments - and states in his Linked in entry that he worked with then NSW Planning and Energy Minister Robert Webster.

Webster coincidentally is scheduled to appear at an ICAC Operation Spicer hearing today.

Monday 1 September 2014

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Operation Spicer Witness List for week commencing 1 September 2014 -UPDATED


NSW ICAC Operation Spicer witness list for week commencing 1 September 2014

Monday 1 September 2014

Joe Tripodi - former NSW Labor MP for Fairfield and Minister for Ports and Waterways, in 2010 announced that he would not stand at the 2011 state election after corruption allegations made in ICAC Operation Cyrus hearings concerning his actions as minister
Ross Cadell - NSW Nationals regional co-ordinator, director at R & S Cadell Pty Ltd, manages the trading arm of family businesses including Tiny Tutus Pty Ltd, Tutu Central and P1 Race Engineering 
Kristina Keneally - former Labor MP for Heffron and former NSW Premier
Ian McNamara - chief of staff to Opposition Leader John Robertson, stood aside while Operation Spicer continues
Eric Roozendaal - former NSW Labor MLC for and NSW Treasurer, suspended from the Labor Party in 2012 during an ICAC investigation into an inducement he accepted, resigned from Parliament in 2013, now working for a Chinese development company

Tuesday 2 September 2014

Mike Fleming – former chief of staff to then NSW Labor MLC, former Minister for Lands and later Shadow Minister for Resources and Primary Production who he resigned from parliament after an ICAC investigation found that he had acted corruptly when Minister for Lands Removed from this week's list
Eric Roozendaal - former NSW Labor MLC for and NSW Treasurer, suspended from the Labor Party in 2012 during an ICAC investigation into an inducement he accepted, resigned from Parliament in 2013, now working for a Chinese development company
Chris Hartcher - former NSW Liberal Party MP for Terrigal and former NSW Resources and Energy now sitting on the cross benches as an independent MP after expulsion from the party
Bart Basset - NSW Liberal MP for Londonderry who moved to the cross bench after ICAC commissioner Megan Latham announced that new evidence had emerged to widen the inquiry's scope to examine whether Nathan Tinkler's firm Buildev tried to influence Mr Bassett

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Craig Baumann - NSW Liberal MP for Port Stephens previously mentioned in evidence given during Operation Spicer. Removed from this week’s list
Bart Basset - NSW Liberal MP for Londonderry who moved to the cross bench after ICAC commissioner Megan Latham announced that new evidence had emerged to widen the inquiry's scope to examine whether Nathan Tinkler's firm Buildev tried to influence Mr Bassett
Mark Regent - Buildev project manager on the Redbank North Richmond Joint Venture regional housing project
Matt Kelly - Newcastle Herald journalist
Gary Edwards -  NSW Liberal MP for Swansea on 14 August 2014 announced he had moved to the cross bench, after allegations during evidence that he had received an unlawful political donation
Michael Gallacher - NSW Liberal MLC who resigned as Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 2 May 2014 after being named as one of the subjects of ICAC’s Operation Spicer investigation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench
Victor Yee - unknown
Mark Ryan  director of public affairs at Westfield Corporation and a director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy 
Robert Webster – Korn Ferry chairman, Brickworks Ltd independent director and former NSW Nationals planning minister

Thursday 4 September 2014

Robert Milner – chairman of Washington H Soul Pattinson & Company Limited, chairman and major shareholder in Brickworks Ltd
Lindsay Partridge  Liberal Party member, Austral Bricks managing director and CEO at Brickworks Ltd which are part-owned by Washington H Soul Pattinson & Company Limited
Lee Brinkmeyer - political donor to NSW Liberal Party, Queanbeyan property developer with Elmslea Development, possibly related to land speculator and former president of the Queanbeyan branch of the Liberal Party Alex Brinkmeyer
Mark Neeham - former State Director of the New South Wales Liberal Party, executive director polling/lobbying firm Crosby Textor
Simon McInnes - Finance Director of the New South Wales Liberal Party
Paul Nicolaou  was principal fundraiser for the New South Wales Liberal Party, former chairman of the Liberal Party fundraising associated entity Millennium Forum, former chief executive of the NSW branch of the Australian Hotels Association

Friday 5 September 2014

Philip Christensen - former Whitehaven Coal board member, heads Baker & McKenzie Brisbane law office
Natasha McLaren-Jones - Liberal Party NSW MLC since March 2011
Michael Photios - member of the NSW Liberal Party's state executive until September 2013, contracted by Australian Water Holdings in 2011 to lobby NSW O’Farrell Government
Michael Yabsley - former Liberal NSW MLC and former minister in the Greiner Government, former Honorary Federal Treasurer of Liberal Party of Australia and former member Federal Finance Committee, CEO Australia Gulf Council, founder and director of Government Relations Australia
John Pegg - member of the three-man panel appointed by NSW Premier Mike Baird to take control of the state party’s finances, property and fundraising in the wake evidence before ICAC

Thursday 28 August 2014

RECAP: The score now stands at ICAC 14 Liberal Party of Australia 0


*Updated as NSW Independent Commission against Corruption Operation Spicer continues*

Arthur Sinodinos Federal Liberal Senator for NSW and Assistant Treasurer in the Abbott Government  - not fulfilling assistant treasurer duties for the duration of the ICAC Operation Credo and Operation Spicer investigations, after allegations concerning the corporation Australia Water Holdings of which he was a director were made during Operation Credo  .

Barry O’Farrell NSW Liberal MP for Ku-ring-gai  – resigned as Premier and Minister for Western Sydney effective 17 April 2014 and moved to the back bench when it was proven that he had not told the truth when giving evidence at a NSW Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Credo hearing in relation to an undeclared $3,000 gift from the then CEO of Australian Water Holdings.

Mike Gallacher NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 2 May 2014 after being named as one of the subjects of ICAC’s Operation Spicer investigation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Chris Hartcher NSW Liberal MP for Terrigal – resigned as Minister for Resources and Energy, Special Minister of State, Minister for the Central Coast on 9 December 2013, suspended from the  Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Marie Ficarra NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as parliamentary secretary on 17 April 2014 after it was alleged she solicited an unlawful political donation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench..

Darren Webber - NSW Liberal MP for Wyong and Member, Legislative Assembly Committee on Law and Safety - suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Christopher Spence - NSW MP for The Entrance, suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Andrew Cornwell – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Charlestown after admitting in evidence that he had received unlawful political donations and paid his tax bill with some of that money.

Tim Owen – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Newcastle on 12 August 2014 after admitting he had not told the truth concerning unlawful political donations when giving evidence at an ICAC Operation Spicer hearing and had met with another ICAC witness allegedly to convince that witness not to tell the truth.

Garry Edwards - NSW Liberal MP for Swansea on 14 August 2014 announced he had moved to the cross bench, after allegations during evidence that he had received an unlawful political donation.

Jeff McCloy - Newcastle Mayor, resigned his mayoral position due to admissions that he had made to ICAC that he had made unlawful political donations to the NSW Liberal Party.

Ian McNamara - chief of staff to Opposition Leader John Robertson  called as witness in Operation Spicer investigation and has stood aside while ICAC hearings continue.

Bart Bassett - Liberal MP for Londonderry, on 27 August 2014 it was reported by ABC News that he had moved to the cross bench after ICAC commissioner Megan Latham announced that new evidence had emerged to widen the inquiry's scope to examine whether Nathan Tinkler's firm Buildev tried to influence Mr Bassett.

Craig Bauman - NSW Liberal MP for Port Stephens and former Port Stephens mayor who announced he was stepping aside and moving to the cross bench after giving evidence during Operation Spicer hearing on 12 September 2014

The score now stands at: ICAC 14 Liberal Party of Australia 0

See Operation Credo and Operation Spicer hearing transcripts here.

Wednesday 27 August 2014

One of the reasons why there is a need for the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption


The Sydney Morning Herald 16 November 2012:

FROM barrister to barista, John Hart managed to put his past as a defender of petty criminals behind him to reach the summit of Engadine's culinary scene.
He emerged from an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in 2010 to buy the favourably reviewed Jack of Harts and Jude cafe in an arcade off the Old Princes Highway last year.
But the allegations that were the subject of the ICAC inquiry - judge shopping, false promises to clients and the extraction of a dubious payment - are nipping at his heels.
The ICAC made adverse findings against Mr Hart and sent the brief of evidence to the Department of Public Prosecutions.
Police have now charged Mr Hart with 11 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

ICAC prosecution outcomes updated 26 August 2014:

The Department of Attorney General and Justice commenced proceedings against Mr Hart for 10 counts of the offence of acting with intent to pervert the course of justice under section 319 of the Crimes Act, and one count of the offence of obtaining property with false pretence under section 179 of the Crimes Act. On 18 November 2013, Mr Hart pleaded guilty to five section 319 offences.
On 22 August 2014 Mr Hart was convicted and sentenced to 2 years 9 months imprisonment with a non parole period of 1 year 10 months.

Coincidentally, a John Hart (chair of the Liberal Party’s North Sydney Forum, vice-chair of Restaurant and Catering Australia's NSW/ACT state council and a Federal Government’s National Centre for Vocational Education Research board member) is also to appear before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Operation Spicer investigation. Although he has twice been removed from the witness list schedule for the week beginning 25 August 2014.

Unlawful developer donations scandal getting closer to NSW North Coast Nationals


The Sydney Morning Herald 17 August 2014:
                                             
Mr Cadell [NSW Nationals regional co-ordinator] is also listed as an adviser for the project, to lobby for a coal loader, in the email sent to two executives of Mr Tinkler’s company Buildev – Darren Williams and David Sharpe – on April 20, 2011.
Mr Tinkler had made a $50,000 donation to the federal and NSW Nationals three weeks earlier, Electoral Commission records show.

Echo NetDaily 19 August 2014:

A prominent Tweed businessman gave the National Party a $175,000 loan after the ban on developer donations came into effect in 2009, Sydney media has revealed.
The revelation this morning has sparked calls for the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to probe developer donations to the National Party on the north coast in the same way the state Liberal Party has been investigated.
The current ICAC investigation into illegal developer donations has led to the resignation or standing aside of up to 10 NSW Liberal MPs and forced Newcastle’s mayor to quit in disgrace.
The National Party, according to a News Corporation report, faces having to repay a $3,000 donation it received for its state election campaign after it emerged that it came from leading Tweed National Party identity Idwall Richards, who is also a Kingscliff developer.
Labor’s shadow minister for the north coast, Walt Secord, said, ‘It appears that prohibited donations aren’t just the sole domain of the NSW Liberal Party, it seems that the north coast Nationals are in the same murky territory’.
The Daily Telegraph report this morning names Mr Richards, owner of Rico Investments, as the businessman who gave the $175,000 loan to the National Party, but both he and the party claimed it was a loan for the federal election campaign and therefore did not come under the donor laws.
Mr Richards, according to the report, said he did not believe he was a developer, but he signed a letter earlier this year as the ‘proprietor’ of Real Living Projects Pty Ltd, which built the Azura development at Kingscliff Beach.
In the letter, Mr Richards says: ‘We had the pleasure of working with the Cullen Group on our luxury multi-residential and commercial development at Azura–Kingscliff Beach’.

Perhaps it also not too late for NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigators to direct their attention to North Coast Nationals' 2011 shenanigans.

Monday 18 August 2014

NSW ICAC OPERATION SPICER witness list for week commencing 18 August 2014 - cheat sheet


OPERATION SPICER witness list for week commencing on 18 August 2014:

Monday 18 August 2014

Tracy McKelligott (Kearney) - Managing director of Eclipse Media, Events and PR Company, Brand Marketing Manager at Parramatta National Rugby League Club and deputy-chair of Newcastle Alliance
Peter Doyle - restaurateur, vice-chairman of Restaurant and Catering Australia’s NSW/ACT state council 
Nick Dan - managing partner at Bilbie Dan: Solicitors & Attorneys, director Newcastle Knights' Members ‘Club Ltd and chair of its board, chair of Barrington Resources Pty. Ltd which holds magnetite licences for deposits in the Hunter, Tamworth, Scone regions
Rolly Dewith - Newcastle businessman and managing director of the Junction Hotel, former Newcastle Alliance board member
Neil Slater - Newcastle restaurateur and member of the Newcastle Alliance

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Paul Murphy - Newcastle businessman and chairman of the lobby group the Newcastle Alliance
Lynda Jane Harkness - former executive assistant at Hunter Land Pty Ltd (founded by Hilton Grugeon and Graham Burns) which undertakes development of industrial and commercial projects
Vincent Fedele -  owner of Mesh Media printing
Sam Crosby - chief executive director of The McKell Institute and former senior policy adviser for the NSW Treasurer in the Keneally Labor Government
Dominic Schuster - Director Business Policy & Performance NSW State Treasury Garry Webb - former CEO of  Newcastle Port Corporation 

Thursday 21 August 2014

Rex Newell - artist
Samantha Brookes - wife of Andrew Cornwell
Andrew Cornwell - disgraced former NSW Liberal MP for Charlestown
Chris Stone - former Liberal Party state campaign manager
Clint McGilvray - former Australian Business Foundation head of communications and member of Barry O’Farrell’s 2011 campaign team
Matt Kelly - Newcastle Herald journalist
Rocco Leonello - former staffer with then NSW Labor Minister for Finance Joe Tripodi

Friday 22 August 2014

David Simmons - a former federal Labor MP then working as a registered Buildev consultant 
Ann Wills - former Labor staffer, worked for Buildev and took part in the Stop Jodi's Trucks pamphlet campaign
Troy Palmer -  CEO Hunter Sports Group, Chief Financial Officer of Patinack and a Buildev Group director
David Sharpe - former co-owner and executive at BuildDev property developer

Removed from this week's witness list at 4pm 18 August 2014

John Hart chairman of the North Sydney Forum, a fund-raising entity attached to the Liberal Party federal electoral conference in Australian Treasurer Hockey's seat of North Sydney and, CEO of Restaurant and Catering Australia, the national lobby group for the hospitality industry

Wednesday 13 August 2014

The Score So Far: ICAC 9 Liberal Party of Australia 0


It is only halfway through the working week and yet more members of the Liberal Party of Australia have been forced to resign after allegations made during NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings.

The tally so far:

Arthur Sinodinos Federal Liberal Senator for NSW and Assistant Treasurer in the Abbott Government  - not fulfilling assistant treasurer duties for the duration of the ICAC Operation Credo and Operation Spicer investigations, after allegations concerning the corporation Australia Water Holdings of which he was a director were made during Operation Credo  .

Barry O’Farrell NSW Liberal MP for Ku-ring-gai  – resigned as Premier and Minister for Western Sydney effective 17 April 2014 and moved to the back bench when it was proven that he had not told the truth when giving evidence at a NSW Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Credo hearing in relation to an undeclared $3,000 gift from the then CEO of Australian Water Holdings.

Mike Gallacher NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 2 May 2014 after being named as one of the subjects of ICAC’s Operation Spicer investigation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Chris Hartcher NSW Liberal MP for Terrigal – resigned as Minister for Resources and Energy, Special Minister of State, Minister for the Central Coast on 9 December 2013, suspended from the  Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Marie Ficarra NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as parliamentary secretary on 17 April 2014 after it was alleged she solicited an unlawful political donation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench..

Darren Webber NSW Liberal MP for Wyong and Member, Legislative Assembly Committee on Law and Safety - suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Christopher Spence NSW MP for The Entrance - suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Andrew Cornwell – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Charlestown after admitting in evidence that he had received unlawful political donations and paid his tax bill with some of that money.

Tim Owen – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Newcastle on 12 August 2014 after admitting he had not told the truth concerning unlawful political donations when giving evidence at an ICAC Operation Spicer hearing and had met with another ICAC witness allegedly to convince that witness not to tell the truth.

See Operation Credo and Operation Spicer  hearing transcripts here.

UPDATES

After allegations during evidence given in an Operation Spicer hearing, that he had received an unlawful political donation, on 14 August 2014 Liberal MP for Swansea Garry Edwards announced he had moved to the cross bench.

On 18 August 2014 it was reported that Newcastle mayor Jeff McCloy had resigned his mayoral position due to admissions that he had made unlawful political donations to the NSW Liberal Party and, chief of staff to Opposition Leader John Robertson Ian McNamara has stood aside while ICAC hearings continue.

On 27 August 2014 it was reported by ABC News that the Liberal MP for Londonderry Bart Bassett had moved to the cross bench after ICAC commissioner Megan Latham announced that new evidence had emerged to widen the inquiry's scope to examine whether Nathan Tinkler's firm Buildev tried to influence Mr Bassett.

The score now stands at: ICAC 13 Liberal Party of Australia 0

Monday 11 August 2014

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Operation Spicer Inquiry witness list for week commencing 11 August 2014 - witness cheat sheet



NSW Independent Commission  Against Corruption Operation Spicer Public Inquiry witness list for week commencing 11 August 2014:

Monday 11 August 2014

Tim Owen – former Newcastle Liberal MP now sitting on the crossbenches due to ICAC allegations

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Hugh Thomson – Newcastle lawyer and former 2011 election campaign manager for Tim Owen MP

Wednesday 13 August 2014

Hilton Grugeon – millionaire NSW property developer and owner of the Hunter Advantage company

Thursday 14 August 2014

Jeff McCloy – Newcastle Lord Mayor and property developer
Keith Stronach – Newcastle-based property developer and managing director of the family business Stronach Property Pty Limited
Bill Saddington – managing director of the family business P.W. Saddington & Sons Pty Ltd building supplies
David Mingay founder of the Daracon Group which made political donations to Tim Owens 2011 election campaign
Michael Tyler - former chairman of the Newcastle Knights and father to DeanTyler

Friday 15 August 2014

Robyn Parker – NSW Liberal MP for Maitland and former NSW Minister for the Environment
Rolly De With Newcastle businessman and managing director of the Junction Hotel, former Newcastle Alliance board member
Paul Murphy – Newcastle businessman and chairman of the lobby group the Newcastle Alliance
Nick Dan – managing partner at Bilbie Dan: Solicitors & Attorneys, director Newcastle Knights' Members ‘Club Ltd and chair of its board, chair of Barrington Resources Pty. Ltd which holds magnetite licences for deposits in the Hunter, Tamworth, Scone regions
Tracy McKelligott – managing director at Eclipse Media and Newcastle Alliance board member

Thursday 7 August 2014

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption's Operation Spicer hearing recommenced on 6 August 2014 and certain interested parties have been co-operating with the investigation



Federal Liberal Party director Brian Loughnane has been drawn into a corruption scandal embroiling the party after an inquiry heard allegations he rubberstamped the use of federal channels to subvert the NSW ban on donations from property developers.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption resumed public hearings on Wednesday in Operation Spicer, its inquiry in to Liberal Party fundraising.
The allegations aired during a two-hour opening address, delivered by counsel assisting the commission, Geoffrey Watson, SC, resulted in Liberal MPs Tim Owen and Andrew Cornwell stepping aside from the party and joining the crossbench….
In a sensational twist on Wednesday, Mr Owen's campaign manager Hugh Thomson has rolled over and is assisting the commission in return for an indemnity against prosecution.

7 News 6 August 2014:

In his opening address, counsel assisting the inquiry Geoffrey Watson SC said there were serious irregularities in the funding of the Liberal MP's campaign.
He also revealed that the funding of the neighbouring seat of Charlestown, which is now held by Government whip Andrew Cornwell, was being investigated.
"The evidence acquired so far clearly shows serious irregularities in the way those campaigns were conducted," Mr Watson said.
"Given what went on, a real question arises as to the validity of the result of the election in the seat of Newcastle."

Excerpts from Operation Spicer morning and afternoon hearing transcripts for 6 August 2014:

* Now, I’ll just move on to the last issue and I’ll be very brief about this
because we dealt with it in detail on the earlier occasion. During the course
of opening the earlier segment of this inquiry we said that during 2010 and
2011 Members of the Liberal Party of New South Wales used the Free
Enterprise Foundation as a means of washing and rechannelling donations
made by prohibited donors. We said that this was clearly done for the
 purpose of avoiding the impact of the Election Funding Act and that the
purpose was to disguise the true source of the money.
Further investigations have been undertaken and the result of those further
investigations confirms that what we said on the earlier occasion is accurate.
There is evidence that the use of the Free Enterprise Foundation in this
fashion was known at high levels in the Liberal Party.
It seems that the Federal Party was willing to allow itself to be used in that
way. We’ve been able to obtain an email sent on 23 July 2010, it was sent
by Simon McInnes who at that stage was the Finance Director the New
South Wales Liberal Party and it was sent by Mr McInnes to Colin Gracie
who at that stage was employed by the Federal Liberal Party, I’ll put it up
on the screen.
Mr McInnes’s inquiry was in respect of a donor was not a property
developer but Mr Gracie’s response is telling. If I just go down the bottom.
First email is to Mr Gracie, “We have a potential donor who wants to donate
towards the New South Wales campaign Banks for the Federal election but
don’t want to be disclosed under New South Wales disclosure laws not a
property developer.” Under Federal law they can donate up to $11,500 et
cetera, “Would the Federal Division be able to process donation.” There
may not be anything wrong with that but the answering is telling, “Hi
Simon, Brian Loughnane has agreed that for the time being the Federal
Secretariat will operate on the policy set out in the attachment. In effect
there is no benefit for a New South Wales donor to donate via the Federal
Secretariat”, and these are the words, “unless they are a property developer.”

* The first area of inquiry will look at the way that persons in the Liberal
Party conducted and funded campaigns for seats in the Hunter region in the
2011 State Election. Most of the time will be spend on the seat of
Newcastle but there is also a need to look at events which occurred in the
adjoining seat of Charlestown. The evidence acquired so far clearly shows
serious irregularities in the way those campaigns were conducted and
funded. Enough objective material has been collected so that we are
confident in saying that it will be established that the Liberal Party
campaign for the seat of Newcastle was partly funded from illegal sources.
The evidence is that there was a broad understanding that a number of
different prohibited donors would, acting under some subterfuge, provide
the funds to keep the campaign rolling. The persons involved in this
include, on the Liberal Party side, Hugh Thomson, he’s a lawyer who was
the campaign manager for Newcastle, Josh Hodges, a Liberal Party figure
who was brought in to co-manage the campaign, and the candidate himself,
Tim Owen.
The developers who contributed to the off-books funding include Buildev
Pty Limited, a company part-owned by Nathan Tinkler, Jeff McCloy, he is
the Mayor of Newcastle, and Hilton Grugeon, a prominent property
developer in the Hunter region. There were others as well.
There is also evidence that Michael Gallacher MLC was aware of these
arrangements and in fact suggested some of them. There is other evidence
that Christopher Hartcher MP was also aware and that he participated in
some aspects of it.

Commissioner, the scheme was crude but it was effective. Mr Hodges
raised invoices purporting to charge for consultancy services. I pause there
and say Mr Hodges has been helpful as well.
The invoices were a sham. No such services were provided. The payments
were designed to cover the salary payable to Mr Hodges for his work on Mr
Owen’s campaign. And now I’ll show as an example a false invoice raised
by Mr Hodges to Saddingtons Pty Limited. You’ll see it there, it’s to
Saddingtons and it’s for consultancy advice, commercial premises, Wyong.
Mr Hodges has told us that that was a sham invoice. Saddingtons is a
company owned by a local identity, Bill Saddington and it’s a major
hardware supplier. I’ll show another one. This is a false invoice raised by
Mr Hodges to accompany Australian Decal Sales and Manufacturing Pty
Limited. Australian Decal had provided services in Mr Owen’s campaign.
They provide those sorts of stickers, you might see them on the sides of
political candidates’ cars, that sort of thing. And you’ll see that here, that
Mr Hodges was asked to make up a false invoice addressed to Australian
Decal for consultancy advice and business plan. So that was sent on to
Australian Decal. And then I’ll show the next document because that sum,
7,000-odd to Mr Hodges was included in Australian Decal’s own invoice.
The people at Australian Decal have assisted us as well. The $7,000-odd to
Mr Hodges was included in Australian Decal’s invoice which they were told
should be issued to Buildev. Buildev eventually paid that.
Commissioner, it was also agreed that Mr Owen’s campaign needed a media
expert. A local radio identity, Luke Grant was available and with the
assistance of Michael Gallacher, MLC Mr Grant was brought in to advise on
the way that Mr Owen’s media campaign should be conducted. Now, Mr
Grant’s work was worthwhile and he was entitled to be paid for it. And
there’d been an agreed sum, he was to be paid $20,000. An arrangement
was made so that two local property developers paid for Mr Grant. Mr
Grant too has been helpful. The idea was that Mr Grant would issue
invoices to each of these property developers for $10,000, but not exactly
$10,000 because a round figure might look suspicious.

* The first is an incident which occurred when Mr Cornwell was at work. In a
previous life he was a veterinary surgeon in Cardiff. While in surgery
Mr Cornwell was called out for an urgent meeting with Jeff McCloy. They
sat in Mr McCloy’s car. Mr Cornwell thinks it was a Bentley. But anyway
they sat in Mr McCloy’s car and Mr McCloy passed over an envelope
containing a large wad of bills. Mr Cornwell says, and I think this is quite
understandable, that he was so shocked and embarrassed that he didn’t
respond. Mr Cornwell says that he didn’t even count the money but from
other means we know that it was $10,000. Mr Cornwell says he took the
money home, he put it in his sock drawer or somewhere for a while and then
later passed it to the president of the Charlestown branch Bob Bevan.
Mr Bevan was acting as a kind of, in this respect, a kind of de facto
campaign treasurer. Mr Cornwell explained to Mr Bevan, we’ve got this
from each of them, their evidence is perfectly consistent except in one
respect, Mr Cornwell explained to Mr Bevan that it was a donation which
had come from a donor who didn’t wish his identity be disclosed.
Mr Bevan remembered that it was Mac something, the name and, but that
didn’t mean anything to him at the time but anyway Mr Bevan has told us
that he could well understand a desire for anonymity in a small community.
Mr Bevan took the cash and I might say this is the only point where the
account of Mr Cornwell and Mr Bevan parts ways, Mr Bevan says that it
was in the more traditional brown paper bag and not an envelope but
anyway, Mr Bevan took the cash, he did count it, it was $10,000 in $100
bills. He banked it into a business account of his, a company called
Harmony Hill Pty Limited and when the funds cleared Mr Bevan then
donated if that’s the right word, donated the money to the Liberal Party
under the name of Harmony Hill.
Now I understand that Mr McCloy will deny that this ever occurred. It will
be a matter for the Commission as to whether or not Mr McCloy is believed
on that although it would seem a very strange story for Mr Cornwell and Mr
Bevan to invent. If this exchange did occur, and especially if Mr McCloy
continues to maintain that it did not, then the Commission would be entitled
to draw an inference that the payment was made with malign intent.

* I want to say something now about Andrew Cornwell and about Tim Owen.
Both Mr Cornwell and Mr Owen were outstanding candidates for
Parliament, each had a lucrative career and each was making a sacrifice in
seeking political office. Neither was a career politician, they were not party
machine men and they were being enlisted by the Liberal Party because they
were outstanding candidates. One can see how the experience of each made
them susceptible to being manipulated by wealthy individuals who wanted
political preferences, especially if those wealthy individuals had pre-existing
support of elements within the Party machine.
Mr Cornwell has been helpful to ICAC. He has given cooperation. His
actions may have been unwise but it would seem to us, this is just an
expression of opining between Mr O’Mahoney and myself, but it would
seem to us that those actions may have been the product of a degree of
inexperience in the face of high pressure tactics from some pretty
determined characters. I should add that there is no evidence which
suggests that Mr Cornwell actually gave any preferences to Mr McCloy or
Mr Grugeon.
Mr Owen might be in the same class. It remains to be seen the extent to
which he cooperates with this inquiry. Mr Owen was brought into the
campaign late, he was surrounded by persons whose motives were not pure.
There is hard evidence of misdeeds in the campaign in Newcastle and the
Commission expects and is entitled to expect that it will get the full
cooperation of Mr Owen.

* MR WATSON: Now, Mr Bosman, I’m not going to labour this because the
statement will speak for itself, but I feel as though people are entitled to
know something of your background, those who haven’t read the statement.
You’ve had plenty of experience in the Liberal Party and managing
campaigns?---I have.
I’ll just give some examples. You’ve been a campaign manager for the
former Prime Minister, Mr Howard?---Correct.
And you were the campaign manager for John Alexander when he won back
Bennelong?---I was.
And in 2007 the Liberal Party came to you and asked you if you would
provide your services. I just said 2007?---2011.
Yeah, I’m way behind aren’t I? It’s a poor start, my first witness. In 2011
the New South Wales Liberal Party came to you and asked you to provide
your services to helping campaigns which were being conducted on the
Central Coast and in the Hunter?---It was actually in 2010, November 2010.
They came to you for the 2011 campaign?---Correct.
And I think you were given a fairly dramatic title, I think it was called
battleground director?---I was.
And so was the battleground director you were looking after two sitting
members and a number of other candidates who were trying to win seats?
---Correct.
I’ll just detail those. In terms of the Central Coast you were looking after
the campaign for a sitting member, that’s Chris Hartcher?---Yes.
And the seat was Terrigal?---Yes.
And on the Central Coast there were three candidates who were trying to
win from Labor seats, Darren Webber at Wyong?---Yes.
Chris Spence at The Entrance?---Yes.
And Chris Holstein at Gosford?---Correct.
In the Hunter you were looking after one sitting member, that was Craig
Baumann who was the Member for Port Stephens?---Yes.
And you were also looking after four candidates who were trying to win
seats from Labor, the first was Tim Owen in Newcastle?---Yes.
Another was Andrew Cornwell in Charlestown?---Yes.
And another was Garry Edwards in Swansea?---Yes.
And the fourth was Robyn Parker in Maitland?---That’s correct.
Now your work as I understand it was to oversee the campaign to make sure
that they were in the first place complying with the requirements of the
Liberal Party?---My focus was on the campaigns for the seats we were
trying to win, the sitting member seats I was not really involved in their
campaigns.
All right. I should have made that clear. In terms of the sitting members,
that’s Mr Hartcher and Mr Baumann, the Liberal Party was actually quite
confident that they would retain those seats in the 2011 election?---Yes.
And if we just go back to the detail of it, during any election campaign more
time is devoted to those seats which are in the other party’s hands but which
are winnable?---Yes, unless it’s a very marginal seat that you’re holding and
you want to hold onto it.