NSW Politics: who owns you, pretty baby*

You are a politician facing a state re-election campaign in five months time.

Your political party has just been through a gruelling time at a corruption inquiry.

A powerful multinational media corporation operates in Australia. 

It has a proven track record for corruptly making payments to police and government employees for information, for unlawfully hacking phones and voicemails to obtain material for news stories and gossip columns - with an editor and one of its former journalists gaoled, as well as multiple other employees arrested for their involvement in these activities.

This media corporation asks you to appear in an advertisement for its newspapers.

Do you say yes or no?

Well if you are NSW Premier Mike Baird you say - Yes!

And this is the result.............

http://youtu.be/3EkZR9f9mvU

I spoke with the Premier's office on 17 October 2014 and a staffer confirmed that it actually was him in the advertisement, but could not say if he had received payment for his appearance.

It would seem that along with Prime Minister Abbott, Mike Baird has decided that being joined at the hip to U.S. media mogul Rupert Murdoch is a good political move.

* With sincere apologies to The Four Seasons for mangling their lyrics.

Why is the NSW Baird Government removing surgical facilities from the new $80 million Byron Central Hospital?

In September 2014 it was reported that the early works contract for the new $80 million Byron Central Hospital had been awarded and, that main works construction on the greenfields site was to begin in 2015.

On 16 October 2014 the Echo Netdaily reported on the possible privatisation of surgical services within this hospital:

The NSW Parliament is today set to debate controversial government plans to privatise the proposed Byron Central Hospital after a move by the Labor opposition yesterday to force the coalition to release all documents related to the development.

It comes as a residents group revealed the Ewingsdale landowner of the surrounding land where plans are being pushed through for almost 200 dwellings, a nursing home and shopping centre is the daughter of one of Australia’s richest beef barons who has been buying up prime farmland nearby.

Byron Shire Council last week narrowly approved pushing the so-called ‘seniors’ development through to its development application (DA) stage, outraging local resident groups who say it should have been deferred for more time to consider the contentious plan which contravened the shire’s new Local Environment Plan (LEP).

But comments by Ballina MP Don Page, following the council decision, that he wanted the private sector to provide surgical services at the hospital has sparked the move in parliament to try and throw light on the hospital plans and the push for privately-run services.

Labor’s shadow health minister Walt Secord says his call for papers, known as a Standing Order 52, in the NSW Legislative Council yesterday will be debated this week.

‘It’s an extraordinary step, but this is about finding out the National Party plans for Byron Central Hospital’, Mr Secord told Echonetdaily.

He said Mr Page’s comments to the ABC in favour of a privately-run service followed an announcement by state health minister Jillian Skinner last month that the central hospital’s project team was ‘undertaking a market sounding process to determine whether there is interest from private providers to deliver surgical services at the facility’.

Read the rest of the article here.

The aforementioned debate did take place and Greens MLC Jan Barham from the Northern Rivers spoke up for the people of Byron Bay Shire and revealed what government members were obfuscating that day -  that surgical facilities had been entirely removed from the architectural plans for this hospital.

NSW Legislative Council Hansard [Proof Copy] 16 October 2014:

Ms JAN BARHAM [10.55 a.m.]: I support the motion moved by the Hon. Walt Secord. I urge members to have a history lesson on this matter because both sides have misrepresented the situation. As to Byron Central Hospital, I spent 10 years attending meetings and dealing with the processes conducted under the former Government for its delivery, only to be thwarted time and time again. For example, a Central Coast hospital was proposed and it was suggested that Byron would lose its two hospitals and get one large hospital in Ballina. I apologise to the Minister for Ageing, who outlined the Government's position, but he is incorrect. The previous process was always followed carefully and stringently, with wide consultation on delivery of the supply plan for the new Byron Central Hospital.

Until February 2014, architectural plans that were shown to community members—who had served for more than 20 years on committees discussing the delivery of a new hospital—included surgery services. The services plan that was completed in 2002 and put out for public consultation included surgery.

The idea of removing surgery services from the hospital, as proposed in the current planning process, is abhorrent to the local community. People feel that promises have been broken and they deserve answers. Members may note that I have put questions on the Notice Paper about these issues. I recently attended a forum at which design plans for the hospital were released, and committee members were shocked to see that the previous architectural plans had been changed to remove surgery services. It was the first they had heard of it. There has been a lack of consultation and notification about this process. People who have the community's interests at heart and who have voluntarily given so much time and energy to local health issues and to this project, were shocked. That night they expressed their displeasure about what was occurring. [my red bolding]

The Government is unwilling to tell the community why surgery services have been dropped or what process is being undertaken to ensure that Byron shire retains those important services. A new proposal should be developed and presented in a manner that conforms with normal processes so the public can access it conveniently. The process must be transparent. There has been misinformation but the important issues are service delivery and good public health services—about which I have put a question on notice. Tourism is also an important consideration. Unfortunately, visitors who engage in dangerous and adventurous activities often use local health services and facilities. I welcome this important motion but I caution members to recognise, observe and acknowledge the history of this matter. The Byron shire community have put in a lot of effort to ensure they get a hospital that meets their needs. I look forward to these issues being considered and resolved.

On a vote in the Lower House the motion passed and the Baird Government is now obliged to supply to Parliament all documents, including but not limited to ministerial briefing notes, email correspondence, financial documents, memos, file notes, meeting papers and meeting minutes relating to the new Byron Central Hospital and Maitland Hospital.

These documents should be interesting to say the least, as one local resident in a submission to the NSW Minister for Planning & Environment in September 2014 outlined how planned surgical services were whittled away before being removed from the building design:

As a member of Byron Bay Hospital Aux, I have been interested in the planning process for the new Byron Shire Central Hospital since the first consultants were engaged by the Dept to consult with the local community, so probably for over 20 years. Along every step of this process I have attended numerous public meetings as well as meetings of the planning committee and was always assured that there would be no downgrading of the services available at the Byron Bay or Mullumbimby Hospitals until the new Hospital was built and we would keep all the current services available at both Hospitals and indeed add to these services, when the new hospital was built. I was astounded to see that the plans currently on exhibition make no mention of operating theatres or day surgery. The initial proposal incorporated two "state of the art" operating theatres. This later became theatres for day surgery procedures and now we have non{e} at all!. As Byron Bay Hospital has facilities for day surgery and has had some form of theatre since it's inception, I find it totally unacceptable that the new Central Hospital has none at all and I say this whilst being well aware that the Area Health Board is looking for expressions of interest for a private provider to build operating theatres on the site, for them to buy back services from. I wish to strongly object to the fact that there is not allowance for operating theatres in these plans. These plans must include provision for at least day surgery in the event that no private provider is found, otherwise the people of the Byron Shire have been duped by the Health Department. This Hospital underwent a very lengthy and painful community consultation, there was much ill feeling in both communities over the loss of both hospitals. The community only agreed to the one Central Hospital provided there was no loss of services. They would not agree to what is now proposed in these plans. 

Once again the North Coast Nationals appear to have blindly endorsed a flawed health services plan for the Northern Rivers region.

NSW Deputy Premier and leader of the NSW Nationals Andrew Stoner walking away from Parliament in 2015

Although an increasingly irrelevant rump to the Liberal Party, it is still worth noting a change of Nationals leadership at state level in New South Wales.

The Land 15 October 2014:

 NSW Deputy Premier and leader of the NSW Nationals Andrew Stoner is to retire from politics at the 2015 state election.

Hospitality Minister Troy Grant, the member for Dubbo, is the leading candidate to take the leadership after deputy leader Adrian Piccoli ruled himself out this evening.

Mr Stoner, the member for the Mid North Coast seat of Oxley, has served in the NSW Parliament since 1999 and as Nationals leader since 2003.

At a lunchtime news conference on Wednesday, Mr Stoner said he would step down as Nationals leader on Thursday morning, after which a ballot for the Nationals leadership will be held and a new Deputy Premier elected.

Mr Piccoli, also Education Minister, was initially reported to be a challenger to Mr Grant. However, he released a statement this evening confirming he will support Mr Grant in the ballot.

Mr Piccoli will continue in his current role of deputy leader and member for Murrumbidgee…..

The news follows the announcement by former NSW Liberal energy minister Chris Hartcher earlier on Wednesday that he will also retire at next year's poll.

The Australian 15 October 2014:

Mr Stoner said he was quitting politics in order to spend more time with his family. He is married with six children and lives in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast.

He told a press conference this afternoon that he had spent 250 days a year away from home, and this made it very difficult for his wife and children. He did not intend to get a full-time job after politics but may look for some part-time position, he said.

He said his wife had faced some difficult family issues pretty much on her own.

He had recently had a break from politics and had seen what she was dealing with. She had asked him to give up politics and he had not hesitated, he said.

Mr Stoner will remain in Cabinet with his existing portfolios of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure, Tourism and major events, Small Business and the North Coast.

His safe seat of Oxley could be a parachute for the Nationals Upper House MLC Melinda Pavey, who was dropped down the ticket in recent pre-selections. She lives on the NSW North Coast.

Mr Stoner has held Oxley since 1999 and been leader of the Nationals since 2003. He became deputy premier after the election of the O’Farrell government in 2011.

Post-carbon tax repeal and household electricity is just as unaffordable for 1 in 8 Australians

In October 2014 Ernest & Young released its annual survey in the Customer Experience – Utilities series.

This survey explored the perceptions and experiences of over 649 electricity retail customers across regional and metro markets in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

When it looked at  energy affordability the survey found:

* Over the last 12 months, 22% of Australians paid their electricity bill late;

* One in eight Australians missed an electricity payment because they couldn’t afford it;

* The most common reason for not paying on time was due to an inability to afford the payment (60%);

* This was significantly more likely to be those located in regional areas (78% vs. 49% in metropolitan areas); and

* A common reason for an existing customer exploring a change in energy supplier is a high power bill, but 20% of potential switchers are not making the change because ‘it’s too difficult’.

A compilation of the survey report graphics illustrating energy stress was published by ABC News on 13 October 2014:

The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) 2013-14 annual report media release stated:

Affordability problems were also reflected in a 32% increase in complaints arising from completed disconnections. “This picture of strained consumer circumstances is consistent with both the increased number of complaints we received from customers who were denied payment plans, and very high rates of disconnection in NSW generally”.

The Ombudsman also reported a 28% increase in affordability related complaints in 2013-14.

No wonder Prime Minister Abbott has gone quiet on the subject of affordable electricity bills and won’t be waving any in front of assembled MPs or media cameras any time soon.

NSW North Coast development referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption

A tale the NSW North Coast has heard many times before – a metropolitan-based developer is allegedly using a handful of local investors to hopefully cloak his proposed over-development with a modicum of legitimacy.

West Byron at North Coast Nature

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE WEST BYRON LANDOWNERS:

01/10/2014

Dear Warren Simmons, Peter Croke, Gary Macdonald, Alan Heathcote, Tony Smith, Terry Agnew, Timothy Stringer, Ronald Geeves, David O’Connor, Kevin Rodgers and Richard Sykes,
We, the people of Byron Bay,  want to let you know that we believe you would be doing an irreversible harm to our town if your proposed rezoning and subsequent development of the West Byron wetlands goes through.
If this land is rezoned for intensive residential and industrial development, our lovely low-key, laid-back town would become a congested mess and look like so many other ruined coastal towns. The natural environment that brings people here must be protected; we will not accept more appalling traffic queues into town and an overcrowded parking nightmare.
We have asked, via your representative Stuart Murray, for meetings and for genuine community consultation but you have declined. You can do something about this terrible plan. You can stop it. For your property you can submit a more reasonable proposal to Council that avoids the most sensitive areas, enables an amount of development that will not overwhelm Byron’s ability to cope with it and still makes you sizeable profits.

Please consider the wellbeing of Byron Bay residents, the tourism industry, local koalas and the Belongil estuary and don’t attempt to sacrifice them for your profit. We will not accept this development.

Signed:

See full list of signatures here.

Echo NetDaily 1 October 2014:

The West Byron development proposal is to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) today (Tuesday) by NSW Greens MLC and former Byron mayor Jan Barham.

Ms Barham told The Echo that the site ‘may have been wrongly defined’ and is worthy of investigation. ‘The community deserves to be assured that a project of this scale has not been brought forward for state approval wrongly.’

‘I believe that it is important that this matter is clarified before any assessment of the proposal by the government,’ she said.

The 108-hectare land is currently under planning minister Pru Goward’s determination for large-scale housing/industrial development, and sits just 2.5 kilometres west of the CBD on Ewingsdale Road.The Echo understands that Sydney-based developer Terry Agnew is by far the largest shareholder at around 80 per cent, along with other local investors.

Ms Barham says there appears to be ‘irregularities’ from when the site was defined in 2009 as West Byron Bay Urban Release Area for inclusion in the Major Development SEPP.

It comes after a meeting was held between Ms Barham, local state MP Don Page (Nationals) and members from the Byron Residents Group last week……

The NSW Baird Government's limited response to widespread community concerns regarding coal seam gas exploration and mining

With regard to coal seam/unconventional gas industry exploration licence issues, the NSW Baird Coalition Government has:

* put a hold on CSG exploration and extraction in the Sydney Water Catchment

Special Areas

* put a 6 month freeze on new petroleum exploration licence applications, which was extended by a further 12 months to September 2015

* undertaken to audit existing petroleum exploration licences

* designated the Santos Narrabri Gas Project and AGL’s Gloucester Gas Project as

Strategic Energy Projects

* signed an MOU with Santos to streamline the assessment process for the Narrabri

Gas Project

* renewed AGL’s Gloucester petroleum exploration licence and granted an activity

approval to fracture stimulate four wells. [NSW Chief Scientist, September 2014]

In addition it has suspended approval to drill on one exploration license PEL 13 on the NSW North Coast.

Brake on NSW coal seam gas exploration extended until September 2015

The Hon Anthony Roberts MP 

Minister for Resources and Energy

Special Minister of State

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday 25 September 2014

FREEZE EXTENDED ON PETROLEUM EXPLORATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS

Minister for Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts today announced an additional 12 month freeze on NSW Petroleum Exploration Licence Applications (PELAs) and Petroleum Special Prospecting Authority applications (a PSPA is a desktop or geoscientific survey).

The six month freeze announced by the NSW Government on 26 March 2014 will be extended to 26 September 2015.

Mr Roberts said the extended timeframe will allow the Office of Coal Seam Gas (OCSG) to complete its comprehensive examination of current PELAs and allow the Government to further assess the application process for petroleum titles.

“The former Labor Government handed out 39 Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs) in a careless and clumsy fashion with little oversight. NSW deserved better,” Mr Roberts said.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has put in place the most comprehensive regulations for the CSG industry in the country.

“These regulations ensure that gas extraction from coal seams is done in a way that is safe and has minimal impacts on the environment and other industries.

“The framework also ensures that companies involved in the NSW gas industry meet the highest standards of technical expertise and financial capability to undertake exploration.”

Mr Roberts said the NSW Government has refused 10 PELAs since March, in regions across the State.

“A number of companies have been asked to provide further information around environment, exploration and production reporting, community consultation and work programs,” he said.

“Petroleum Assessment Leases (PAL) will be available to companies with existing PELs or those who applied before the freeze.

“The NSW Government is committed to increasing our domestic supply of gas and is working to ensure only safe and sustainable gas supply projects proceed,” he said.

Metgasco Limited circles the wagons and hopes forthcoming court case will order compensation?

Coal seam-tight gas exploration and wannabee production company Metgasgo Limited - having first failed to convince the NSW Government that it had fully lived up to the terms of its PEL16 exploration licence and then apparently failed to convince that same government to voluntarily hand over $120 million in go away money compensation because there was no possibility of it extracting any commercial gas from its Northern Rivers tenements in the foreseeable future - appears to be reordering its books to maximise the dollar potential with regard to hoped for court-ordered compensation once legal proceedings have wended their way through the state legal system.

Excerpt from Metgasco media release, 19 September 2014:

Asset update

Metgasco Limited (ASX: MEL) announces that in light of the uncertainty arising from the political environment in New South Wales and its impact on the business environment for energy exploration and production companies, the Board of Metgasco has:

      * formally assessed the amount of capitalised exploration and evaluation expenditure included as an asset on the Company’s balance sheet, and has determined as a matter of prudent judgement that this amount should be impaired to nil; and

      * decided to reclassify its gas reserves as resources.

Commenting on the asset impairment and reserves reclassification, Metgasco’s Managing Director, Mr Peter Henderson said: “The Board fully considered these accounting matters and considered that the changes are appropriate to properly reflect the state of Metgasco’s New South Wales business interests.  The Company’s current share price indicates that the financial market has already recognised the New South Wales political climate and its effects on Metgasco.  Despite the asset impairment and reserves reclassification, Metgasco remains committed to pursuing the significant gas potential in its New South Wales exploration licences.”……

The good news is that the NSW Coalition Government is not supporting forced amalgamations in regional areas - the bad news is that it will actively encourage 'voluntary' mergers by offering cash and other incentives

The Final Report of the NSW Independent Local Government Review Panel was completed in October 2013 and released in early 2014.

In September 2014 the Baird Coalition Government published its response to the review panel’s sixty-five recommendations, in the suite of documents under the title Fit For The Future.

In a 10 September media release NSW Premier Mike Baird stated:

“Our State cannot continue to be constrained by local government boundaries that were set more than 100 years ago.

“That’s why we have created the $1 billion Fit for the Future package – to help councils take the next steps towards change.

“We are supporting councils that wish to voluntarily merge by providing financial incentives and other support to assist the process.

“We are also providing councils with cheaper finance to build and maintain the facilities that communities need such as roads, bridges, pools and sporting fields - saving them up to $600 million.”

The Fit for the Future package is based on the Independent Local Government Review Panel’s recommendations following three years of research and consultation.

Councils will have until 30 June 2015 to submit their proposal on how they plan to be Fit for the Future. It will be assessed by independent experts against independently-established criteria.

However, Baird has also been reported as saying he hasn't ruled out forced amalgamations if the carrot doesn't work. "Councils losing $1 million a day is unacceptable..." 

Given the New South Wales Treasury Corporation's 'negative outlook' assessments of Richmond Valley, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore City, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour and Belligen local government areas in the April 2013 Financial Sustainability of the New South Wales Local Government Sector report and, the 'neutral outlook' assessments for Ballina and Tweed Heads councils, Northern Rivers residents could be forgiven for feeling a little nervous about the Premier's intentions right now.

In 2004 the Lower Clarence was part of a forced amalgamation and local government democratic processes have been in decline ever since.

One has to wonder if the Lower Clarence will find itself shafted by the state government and Grafton-centric councillors a second time around, if in 2015 Clarence Valley Council decides to ‘voluntarily’ merge for the millions on offer?

Did Whitehaven Coal set out to deceive the NSW Government concerning its Maule Creek mine in the Leard State Forest?

Snapshots from New Matilda 12 September 2014

The Sydney Morning Herald 12 September 2014:

The NSW Department of Planning is investigating the seemingly phantom appointment by Whitehaven Coal of an environmental group to a compulsory oversight committee for its $767 million Maules Creek coalmine.

The department warned Whitehaven in June 2013 after its nominated group, Greening Australia, failed to send a representative to the inaugural meeting of the Community Consultative Committee due to discuss the open-cut mine's biodiversity management plan.

"I would remind you that the intention of including a representative from an environmental special interest group is to ensure sufficient comment and feedback on biodiversity issues," mining projects manager Mike Young wrote to Whitehaven, according to documents obtained by New Matilda and viewed by Fairfax Media.

Despite the request a representative of Greening Australia provide comments "either in writing or at the next CCC meeting", Whitehaven failed to act. Instead, the miner provided "apologies" for the group's absence at all subsequent meetings.

"We haven't offered any apologies because we didn't know the meetings were on," Greening Australia chief executive Brendan Foran said, adding the group had no record of its nomination.

After a phone call about the committee in August 2013, Greening Australia heard nothing from Whitehaven until early last month when the law firm acting on behalf of the miner, Ashurst, requested it attend a committee meeting the following day at Boggabri, near the mine in northern NSW.

"It was extremely short notice," Greening Australia's NSW head, Peter Flottmann, said. "There was quite a deal of urgency."

Without knowing the context nor having any prior knowledge of the event, Mr Flottmann declined the request. Soon afterwards, a separate party acting for Whitehaven rang one of his staff members and asked if he could join a teleconference of the meeting.

"That wasn't an appropriate approach to my company," he said.

Mr Flottmann then emailed Whitehaven environmental manager Daniel Martin formally resigning Greening Australia from a role he had not been aware it had.

"As discussed I was extremely disappointed in Whitehaven`s recent approach to Greening Australia and my staff," the email said. It demanded the miner "strike any reference" of the group being absent, "as clearly we had no knowledge of any meeting being held between August 2013 and August 2014".

Greening Australia is yet to hear from Whitehaven….

New Matilda article here.

Former member Metgasco Limited's executive team to appear before NSW ICAC Operation Spicer investigation

Between 2011-13 Richard Shields was coal seam gas miner Metgasco Limited’s in-house lobbyist on its executive team as External Relations Manager.

Prior to crossing over to this listed mining company for those two years, Shields served as Deputy Director of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) for over 3 years and also served as the Interim State Director.

It is primarily this political party role which sees Richard Shields included on the witness list for Friday 12 September 2009.

Presumably because evidence given during Operation Spicer hearings is that Shields took a direct hand in fundraising during his time in the party's William Street head office between 2008 and 2011 and, this is a period in which unlawful political donations were allegededly laundered through Liberal Party associated entities.

The 'I Knows Nuffink' defence reaches the height of absurdity during NSW ICAC Operation Spicer hearing

An exchange between junior counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Greg O'Mahoney and Queanbeyan property developer Lee Jay Brinkmeyer during an Operation Spicer hearing on 9 September 2014:

O’MAHONEY: Do you appreciate, Mr Brinkmeyer, that as a businessman who is spending company funds that you’ve written a $20,000 cheque to an organisation you know nothing about on the say so of a person whom you only have a mobile phone contact for without knowing precisely where the money’s going to go and having made no inquiries about where the money actually went, is that the effect of your evidence?

BRINKMEYER: Yeah. I mean, when you put that way - - -

O’MAHONEY: That’s it in a nutshell?

BRINKMEYER: When you put it that way it sounds bad but that’s - - -

O’MAHONEY: It sounds more than bad, Mr Brinkmeyer?

BRINKMEYER: That’s correct

O’MAHONEY: It sounds absurd, if you wouldn’t mind me saying?

BRINKMEYER: Well look, when I’ve made other donations in the past whether it - - -

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption: Has the other shoe dropped for former premier Barry O'Farrell?

Retired as NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney effective 17 April 2014 and moved to the back bench after giving false evidence to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, Barry O’Farrell Liberal MP for Kur-ing-gai for is recalled as a witness today.

The Sydney Morning Herald 9 September 2014:

Two weeks before the 2011 election, then opposition leader Barry O'Farrell announced a tax policy that benefited developer Brickworks while the company was allegedly bankrolling a researcher in his office and had secretly donated $125,000 to the Liberal campaign.

As Premier, Mr O'Farrell made good on the policy – to repeal a controversial property transfer tax – six weeks after the election.

The researcher, Matt Crocker, is now director of policy to Premier Mike Baird.
Mr O'Farrell is due to give evidence at the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Tuesday after the commission heard last week that Brickworks secretly funded Mr Crocker's position in his office while he was opposition leader.

Former Liberal fundraiser Paul Nicolaou told the commission that Brickworks paid for a researcher in 2009, 2010 and 2011 at a cost of $50,000 a year……

The ICAC has also heard Brickworks donated $125,000 to the Liberal-linked Free Enterprise Foundation, a federally registered organisation, which was then allegedly channelled back to the NSW Liberals for use in the 2011 state election campaign.

Brickworks is Australia's largest brickmaker but also has a property development arm. Property developers have been banned from donating to state election campaigns in NSW since late 2009.

Mr O'Farrell visited the Horsley Park headquarters of Brickworks subsidiary Austral Bricks on March 12, 2011.

During the visit Mr O'Farrell announced that if Coalition won the March 26 election it would repeal what he called Labor's "sneaky" home buyers tax – a levy on property transfers worth more than $500,000, announced by planning minister Tony Kelly in 2010.

Attending the announcement was a representative of the Property Council of Australia which had railed against the new tax as "a brake on investment" and "effectively ... a second stamp duty".

Six weeks after winning the election, Mr O'Farrell made good on his pledge to repeal the property tax with legislation introduced to the Parliament on May 9.

The repeal bill was introduced to the Legislative Assembly by Mike Baird, who was then the Treasurer and who became Premier in April this year after Mr O'Farrell resigned over giving false evidence to a previous ICAC inquiry…..

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

@Kate_McClymont

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.

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.

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