on 01-05-2014 05:26 PM
ICAC: Liberal Party official John Caputo admits giving cheques to Chris Hartcher
A Liberal Party official linked to Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Premier Mike Baird has come under fire at a corruption inquiry over thousands of dollars in cheques he gave to former state energy minister Chris Hartcher.
John Caputo, a fundraiser for Mr Abbott and Mr Baird and a former mayor of Warringah, admitted at the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday that it was a "diversion" from normal practice to give political donations made out to the NSW Liberal Party directly to Mr Hartcher.
This included cheques handed over by donors at a March 2011 fundraising dinner attended by Mr Hartcher and former Attorney-General Greg Smith.
Junior counsel assisting the commission Greg O'Mahoney asked whether it "sounds a bit like a fraud" that cheques made out to the NSW Liberals were not given first to head office or its treasurer, as Mr Caputo said was the normal practice.
"No," Mr Caputo replied.
He said that Liberal Party donations were sometimes given directly to particular regions, but he struggled to recall other examples.
on 06-05-2014 08:56 AM
Missing Liberal donations declared four years later
The Liberal Party of NSW last month declared a four-year-old donation of $25,000 from the Warringah Club, a fundraising entity associated with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, as well as amending its most recent returns to declare more than $100,000 in political donations including in-kind support to Joe Hockey’s Federal Electoral Committee.
The amended returns were received by the Australian Electoral Commission on April 5, 2014, as the Independent Commission Against Corruption was preparing to begin public hearings into political donations channelled to a company associated with a staff member in the office of Terrigal MP Chris Hartcher, uncovered during Operation Spicer.
It is not clear what prompted the additional disclosures. The Warringah Club, which has now changed its name to the Small Business Club, is considered an associated entity of the Liberal Party and files its own returns as well as featuring in the party returns.
In 2010-11 the NSW Liberal Party declared it had received $50,000 from the Warringah Club, but has now declared another $25,000.
on 06-05-2014 11:21 AM
on 06-05-2014 11:25 AM
@spotweldersfriend wrote:
How many slush funds have these guys got? I can't remember.
They can't remember.
on 06-05-2014 11:58 AM
Mike Gallacher implicated in alleged ‘serious electoral funding irregularities’
Counsel assisting Icac inquiry says there is a ‘strong prima facie case’ implicating the former NSW police minister
Alleged "serious electoral funding irregularities" involving the former New South Wales police minister Mike Gallacher will be investigated by the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) after it adjourns at the end of next week.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson SC, said on Tuesday material had come into the possession of investigators which presented "a strong prima facie case of serious electoral funding irregularities".
"These activities implicate the former minister Michael Gallacher," Watson said. Gallacher’s barrister called for all the evidence against Gallacher to be made public. "Our client wishes the commission to now present the evidence so we can address it, and if needs be, test it," he said.
Watson reiterated: "We have sworn testimony from a reliable person which implicates Michael Gallacher."
on 06-05-2014 12:00 PM
Liberal party using clubs and forums to reap millions in anonymous donations
More than $7m raised in the last financial year by organisations that are not legally obliged to reveal who has contributed
The Liberal party is using a series of clubs and forums to fundraise millions of dollars and, under current electoral laws, most of the donors are able to stay anonymous.
The clubs and forums are listed as associated entities and do not legally have to reveal who has contributed to them, unless the donation has exceeded the donation threshold, which is currently $12,400. Nor are they obliged to reveal who their members are.
They include one entity which is still operating while under investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) and a club which lists former federal treasurer Peter Costello as the financial controller.
In the last financial year the associated entities that were Liberal forums or clubs raised more than $7m. Clubs in the Victorian division raised $4,490,739 alone.
Treasurer Joe Hockey has launched legal action over reporting of his association with North Sydney Forum (NSF) which offered access to the treasurer in environments such as boardroom lunches for annual memberships which ranged between $5,500 and $22,000.
on 06-05-2014 05:09 PM
ICAC to be suspended as Mike Gallacher investigated for 'serious electoral funding irregularities'
In a stunning development, the corruption inquiry into alleged Liberal Party slush funds will be "suspended" next week while investigators examine new evidence implicating former Police Minister Mike Gallacher in potential "serious electoral funding irregularities".
Counsel assisting the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Geoffrey Watson, SC, applied on Tuesday for a suspension of Operation Spicer "to allow the investigative staff at the commission time to investigate more material which has come to hand in recent times".
"In light of speculation on the subject, it does seem an appropriate moment to say that these activities implicate the former minister Michael Gallacher," Mr Watson said.
on 10-05-2014 10:35 AM
Donor asked for Barry O'Farrell's home address to deliver $3000 bottle of wine: ICAC
A series of emails between Mr Sinodinos in his capacity as AWH chairman and Mr O'Farrell's chief of staff Peter McConnell show that Mr O'Farrell's office was eager in 2010 to do whatever they could to support AWH's dreams of getting a billion-dollar private-public partnership with the state government.
Mr McConnell denied the Opposition Leader's office was "moving to the rhythm of Mr Di Girolamo's drum".
Mr McConnell said he was unaware that Mr Di Girolamo gave the Grange to Mr O'Farrell.
"You don't know what happened to it?" Mr Watson asked. "Have you heard any whispers, has it gone out on the black market or something or been put on eBay?"
on 10-05-2014 11:51 AM
Mr Watson is very entertaining
on 10-05-2014 12:11 PM
10-05-2014 02:10 PM - edited 10-05-2014 02:13 PM
Have they questioned any Young Liberal party members yet?