Apparently the Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire first approached the NSW Minister for Sport Graham Annesley in September 2012 requesting the minister meet with the Executive Officer of the Australian Clay Target Association (ACTA), concerning the possibility of a government grant to upgrade the facilities of an existing regional gun club in his electorate.
At that time Liberal MP for Willoughby Gladys Berejiklian was Minisrer for Transport and it is understood from evidence given to ICAC in 2020 that the admitted close personal friendship of Maguire and Berejiklian began sometime between 2013 and 2015.
The outcome of that particular meeting was a ministerial request that funding be sought from within the then Liberal MP for Manly & NSW Treasurer Mike Baird’s portfolio. However as a low-priority project it was rejected for funding the 2013/14 state budget.
Sometime in January 2016 the Member for Wagga Wagga appears to have again written to Minister for Sport (now the Liberal MP for Penrith Stuart Ayers) advising that the Australian Clay Target Association’s original somewhat sketchy proposal had been tightened and reworked from an upgrade of the shooting range to the building of a suitable new clubhouse.
At that time Maguire informed the Minister for Sport that he had also approached the Treasurer. By this time Gladys Berejiklian had been NSW Treasurer since 2 April 2015.
It was also after January 2016 that the funding request had morphed into a plan to for ISSF level facilities as well as a new clubhouse and office complex.
It seems ACTA had $1.2 million set aside for this project and was requesting an additional $4.9 million in funding from the Baird Coalition Government.
Presumably for the Wagga Wagga club to compete for hosting rights to a World Cup event for trap shooting - even though there was already a large Olympic standard facility in Sydney.
By 20 June 2016. despite still being assessed as a low-priority project, the Minister for Sports, now the Liberal Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayers, apparently suggested a $40,000 grant for ACTA to develop a business case for the club.
BACKGROUND
| 19-10-2021 transcript | 187 | 19/10/21 | 1989-2011 | 1.45pm to 2.48pm |
| 19-10-2021 transcript | 292 | 19/10/21 | 1936-1988 | 10.00am to 12.44pm |
| 18-10-2021 transcript | 260 | 18/10/21 | 1892-1935 | 2.00pm to 3.57pm |
| 18-10-2021 transcript | 271 | 18/10/21 | 1844-1891 | 10.00am to 1.09pm |
Office of Premier & Cabinet as well as Treasury get a mention before Day One of 2021 Operation Keppel investigation public hearing takes a lunch break. 2/2
— no_filter_Yamba (@no_filter_Yamba) October 18, 2021
Current Deputy Leader of the NSW Liberal parliamentary party Stuart Ayers now mentioned as one who may possibly have pushed to have the Wagga Wagga grant approved asap. 2/2b
— no_filter_Yamba (@no_filter_Yamba) October 18, 2021
