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…..

Can the Speaker in the House of Representatives deny knowledge of alleged laundered money routed through The Dame Pattie Menzies Liberal Foundation?

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.

So sure was the foundation that these donations would not be queried that they were included on the relevant disclosure from:

The Dame Pattie Menzies Liberal Foundation Ltd disclosure of political donations and expenditure for the financial year 2010-11

Can Bronwyn Bishop deny all knowledge of this foundation receiving ‘laundered’ developer donations before passing them onto the NSW Liberal Party, when Australian Securities & Investment Commission records reveal that at least three current office bearers of The Dame Pattie Menzies Liberal Foundation Ltd (incorporated in NSW) are being questioned concerning allegations of corruption currently being heard during NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Spicer hearings:

JOHN PEGG,  9 Bushlands Avenue, GORDON NSW 2072, appointed 15.11.93 appeared before NSW ICAC on 8 September 2014

BRONWYN KATHLEEN BISHOP, 21 Pacific Parade, DEE WHY NSW 2099, appointed 29.08.86

WARWICK JAMES WILKINSON,  6A Parriwi Road, MOSMAN NSW 2088, appointed 29.08.86

GILLIAN STOREY, Werong, YASS NSW 2582, appointed 23.11.92 

CHRISTINE MARGARET LIDDY, 103 Raglan Street, MOSMAN NSW 2088, appointed 20.02.04

DENISE ANNE FINK, Unit 11, 282 Sailors Bay Road, NORTHBRIDGE NSW 2063, appointed 20.02.04

DAMIAN JONES,  853 Barrenjoey Road, PALM BEACH NSW 2108, first appointed 06.01.05

NICHOLAS CAMPBELL, 6 Rhonda Close, WAHROONGA NSW 2076 appointed 13.12.13 appearing before NSW ICAC 9 September 2014

The company secretary since 2008 is:

SIMON JOHN MCINNES 5 Hillpine Avenue, KOGARAH NSW 2217, appeared before NSW ICAC 4 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

@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.

The warmonger is in...............

The Sydney Morning Herald 6 September 2014:

If there was some way Tony Abbott could squeeze himself into a camouflaged hi-vis outfit, he surely would. A fetching ensemble it would make too. Combat-ready battle dress in bright orange dessert warfare pattern to signal to Australia's mining billionaires that no matter how small the threat from a balanced tax system, he stood ready to go to war with everyone everywhere to distract our attention in their defence.

Abbott is not the first politician to beat the drums of war but there is something striking in the difference between his concern-trolling of the Islamic State (and Russia for that matter) and Barack Obama's reticence, caution and obvious care for the unintended consequences of intemperate action.....

BBC News 4 September 2014:

The growing list of military commitments has led to a lengthy debate in the Senate on whether Australia's federal parliament should be required to approve such deployments.

Analysts are also worried the nation could be trying to punch too far above its weight.

"It is hard to understand how a military deployment to Ukraine is in Australia's national interests given that we didn't have diplomatic representation there a month ago," said James Brown, a fellow at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute and former Australian army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan,

"There is a real danger now that Tony Abbott finds himself over-committed with his use of military force. He came to power claiming a foreign policy that would be more Jakarta-orientated than Geneva-orientated," he warned.

"Now Australia finds itself contributing soldiers to a European war in Ukraine. It finds itself contemplating contributing significant forces to Iraq and Syria and all the while, we have still got issues in our region that we are responsible for if they flare up."

On the anniversary of the 7 September 2013 Australian Federal Election

Happy anniversary to a prime minister that was not universally liked to begin with and quickly became hated by many.

The Tony Abbott Song.........

http://youtu.be/Z-qUBPyqHPs

Although this September 2013 song is satire, it is telling that at around 7:09 minutes into the video a member of the audience suggests killing Prime Minister Abbott.

In October that year this desire was being turned into calligraphy on Instagram.

By February 2014 he was being beheaded on stage by GWAR to cheers from the audience during the Soundwave tour.

While someone is squatting on a Facebook page titled Kill Tony Abbott and on another page one contributor suggested in May that; If every Australian donated just $1 we could have a private Hitman kill Tony Abbott anyone up for the job you will be WELL payed.

In June a page called Tony Abbott should be assassinated appeared.

Come July and one blogger was posting; Please kill Tony Abbott. No need to make him suffer. Just make him stop being alive. He’s hurting pretty much everyone. He’s happy about it. His actions benefit no-one other than handful of ultra-wealthy people who don’t really need him. He brings nothing good, kind or honest to the world, only selfishness and suffering.

And sentiments such as this were floating in cyberspace; Excuse me while I go kill Tony Abbott with a shovel and feed his corpse to a pack of dingoes.

As well as this; someone kill Tony Abbott already. I know he has a family and that’s tragic, but he needs to be stopped.

A Google search this month reveals the term I hate Tony Abbott occurs 4,890 times and Kill Tony Abbott 13,800 times on the Internet.

Before November this year Abbott is taking delivery of an est. $500k custom made BMW capable of withstanding explosive devices and automatic fire from AK-47s or rounds from armour-piercing weapons.

By Christmas I expect to hear that he has hired two official food tasters to compliment his Close Personal Protection (CPP) detail which accompanies him everywhere.

The "very well known person" the ICAC is referring to

The lads at the table of knowledge at the local watering hole, who are not averse to having an occasional wager, are flabbergasted that the sports agencies (aka the online betting mob) haven't framed a market on who the "very well known person" is that the ICAC is currently referring to in relation to a chain of controversial emails between that "very well known person" and a Liberal identity.

 It's possible to punt on just about every other imaginable event, so why not the identity of the "very well known person"?

For example, one agency is offering odds (see below) on who will be first to confirm by September 2015 they have been abducted by aliens.

BTW, one of the lads reckons both Clive and Alan are well over the odds in the Aliens Stakes and is real keen to have a a few bob that the "very well known person" is someone who came undone at the ICAC quite a few years ago. Could he be right?