Geoff I No Nothing Provest, the NSW North Coast MP for Tweed, is having a few problems. Not only is a local business & residents group taking in the him to court, he appears to have been caught taking a suspect political donation.
14 March 2012:
15 March 2012:
* TWEED Nationals MP Geoff Provest has been accused of accepting an illegal political donation says he did not realise the company involved was a property developer.
In question time today, Opposition Leader John Robertson asked Premier Barry O'Farrell what action he would take against the parliamentary secretary for police, Mr Provest, who he claimed had accepted a $2500 donation from developer Power Group. Under NSW laws, donations from property developers are banned, and at the time of the Power Group donation in March 2011 were restricted to a $2000 cap per individual candidate. In a personal explanation following question time, Mr Provest said he had always been "full and frank" with his pecuniary interests. "I did not realise that Power Industries and or (managing director) James Power may have been prohibited donors," Mr Provest said.
16 March 2012:
* In a statement, Mr Provest blamed the blunder on a volunteer.
"I have held myself at arm's length from the financial side of my campaign and relied on my agent to adhere to the new legislation," he said.
"I am disappointed that this has happened and have today revoked the appointment of my agent."
"My former agent was a volunteer within the party organisation and was not an expert in the very complex legal issues surrounding the new legislation.''
* "I did not realise that Power Industries and/or (managing director) James Power may have been prohibited donors," he said. "I'm now seeking advice from the NSW Election Funding Authority and if those donations are not permitted under the legislation they will be dealt with accordingly." He issued a statement yesterday denying the company was a property developer in NSW, but admitted the amount breached the cap.
In question time today, Opposition Leader John Robertson asked Premier Barry O'Farrell what action he would take against the parliamentary secretary for police, Mr Provest, who he claimed had accepted a $2500 donation from developer Power Group. Under NSW laws, donations from property developers are banned, and at the time of the Power Group donation in March 2011 were restricted to a $2000 cap per individual candidate. In a personal explanation following question time, Mr Provest said he had always been "full and frank" with his pecuniary interests. "I did not realise that Power Industries and or (managing director) James Power may have been prohibited donors," Mr Provest said.
16 March 2012:
* In a statement, Mr Provest blamed the blunder on a volunteer.
"I have held myself at arm's length from the financial side of my campaign and relied on my agent to adhere to the new legislation," he said.
"I am disappointed that this has happened and have today revoked the appointment of my agent."
"My former agent was a volunteer within the party organisation and was not an expert in the very complex legal issues surrounding the new legislation.''
* "I did not realise that Power Industries and/or (managing director) James Power may have been prohibited donors," he said. "I'm now seeking advice from the NSW Election Funding Authority and if those donations are not permitted under the legislation they will be dealt with accordingly." He issued a statement yesterday denying the company was a property developer in NSW, but admitted the amount breached the cap.
Yellow Pages online entry at 19 March 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment