http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/05/icac-turns-its-spotlight-on-nsw-nat...The New South Wales Nationals party has been dragged into a corruption inquiry investigating the trading of illegal donations for political influence.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) heard that in February 2011, the Nationals’ state director, Ben Franklin, emailed an executive at the Nathan Tinkler-owned property developer, Buildev, seeking political donations.
Darren Williams, the Buildev executive, received the email from Franklin saying the Nationals “would be delighted to accept support for our state election campaign as long as it is not from prohibited donors". At the time, political donations from developers such as Buildev were illegal in NSW.
Williams passed the email on to Troy Palmer, an executive with a Tinkler-owned thoroughbred stud, Patinack Farms, writing: “can you help him with 3 lots of $5[000] please mate”.
In another email between the two, Williams said: “mate need $20[000] in here to help these guys nats will be running ports”.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson, SC, told Williams that he was arranging donations to the Nationals “because you knew in effect you had to buy their favour”.
“No,” Williams replied.
It was alleged last week that donations amounting to $66,000 from Buildev were funnelled through Patinack Farms to Eightbyfive, a sham company run by Tim Koelma, a former staffer of the sacked Liberal energy minister, Chris Hartcher.
The commission is investigating allegations that Hartcher and other MPs on the central coast solicited donations from illegal donors, which they channelled into slush funds and used to bankroll their 2011 election campaigns. The money was allegedly traded for political influence on planning decisions.
At the beginning of the inquiry’s second week, Watson also suggested that payments had been made “under the table” to the campaign of the current Liberal member for Newcastle, Tim Owen.
Further evidence was also presented of contact between Williams, Hartcher and the former police minister Mike Gallacher.
Gallacher resigned from the NSW ministry on Friday after being accused of “hatching a corrupt scheme” to hide prohibited donations from property developers to the Liberal party.
Days after the Liberals won the 2011 state election, Williams texted Gallacher and Hartcher with virtually identical messages warning that a rival organisation was meeting the then-treasurer, Mike Baird, to push for a container terminal at Mayfield, Newcastle. At the time Tinkler’s group was lobbying for a coal loader to be built on the site.
“Why were you informing Mr Gallacher of that? What could he do with that information?” Watson asked Williams.
“I was just informing him,” Williams replied, adding that he thought Gallacher might help put the Tinkler group’s case forward.
“Why would Mr Gallacher be putting your case forward?” Watson pressed.
“I don’t know,” Williams replied.
Tired of answers in this vein, Watson at one stage labelled the Tinkler associate an “inveterate liar”. He also accused the witness of conspiring to “make up a story to fool Icac” after the investigation into Eightbyfive had begun.
In an email Tinkler sent in April 2013, Williams said: “Spoke to Michael from Icac today they are reviewing a marketing company in central coast that we have used in the past. I have copies of all our invoices. All Patinack has done has engaged them to do some marketing that's it.”
Later that day Williams texted a Tinkler staffer explaining the “NT [Nathan Tinkler] message was to protect him in case any poo goes down”.
The inquiry continues.
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