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| Icac: an update on characters, plot twists and faltering memories | Icac: an update on characters, plot twists and faltering memories |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Four weeks into the latest public hearings of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac), the tally of characters, plots and faltering memories continues to grow. For people outside New South Wales (and many inside), the winding and treacherous trail of alleged corruption can be tough to follow. | Four weeks into the latest public hearings of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac), the tally of characters, plots and faltering memories continues to grow. For people outside New South Wales (and many inside), the winding and treacherous trail of alleged corruption can be tough to follow. |
| So if you’re coming fresh to the story, or struggling to keep track, we’ve compiled an update on the latest revelations and allegations. The current hearings are expected to finish next week, with a final report due in December. | |
| Here are some things we learned at Icac this week: | Here are some things we learned at Icac this week: |
| 1. Mike Gallacher doesn’t open his emails | 1. Mike Gallacher doesn’t open his emails |
| Gallacher is the former NSW police minister, who stepped down from the parliamentary Liberal party in one of the inquiry’s dramatic high points last May. | Gallacher is the former NSW police minister, who stepped down from the parliamentary Liberal party in one of the inquiry’s dramatic high points last May. |
| The hearing room erupted when the barrister leading the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson SC, showed an email sent between executives at the Newcastle property developer, Buildev, asking: “Which entity will I give Mike Gallagher? [sic]” | The hearing room erupted when the barrister leading the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson SC, showed an email sent between executives at the Newcastle property developer, Buildev, asking: “Which entity will I give Mike Gallagher? [sic]” |
| The allegation was that Gallacher and a Buildev executive, Darren Williams, had together “hatched a corrupt scheme” to keep Buildev money flowing to the Liberal party after donations from property developers were banned in 2009. | The allegation was that Gallacher and a Buildev executive, Darren Williams, had together “hatched a corrupt scheme” to keep Buildev money flowing to the Liberal party after donations from property developers were banned in 2009. |
| Gallacher resigned within the hour, promising to clear his name. On Thursday, the Scottish-born former copper finally had his chance. | Gallacher resigned within the hour, promising to clear his name. On Thursday, the Scottish-born former copper finally had his chance. |
| In the course of a morning spent denying any knowledge of the alleged scheming, Gallacher was shown an email sent to him by a young Liberal party operative named Hugh Thomson, described as being “at the centre of the illegalities” that allegedly took place. | In the course of a morning spent denying any knowledge of the alleged scheming, Gallacher was shown an email sent to him by a young Liberal party operative named Hugh Thomson, described as being “at the centre of the illegalities” that allegedly took place. |
| The email featured a list of wealthy Hunter Valley identities who might be “willing to invest / support Tim [Owen, a Liberal candidate] in his endeavours to successfully wrest the seat of Newcastle”. | The email featured a list of wealthy Hunter Valley identities who might be “willing to invest / support Tim [Owen, a Liberal candidate] in his endeavours to successfully wrest the seat of Newcastle”. |
| Problematically, a number of those listed were property developers. And Gallacher was marked down to approach two of them. At face value, it was an incriminating missive. | Problematically, a number of those listed were property developers. And Gallacher was marked down to approach two of them. At face value, it was an incriminating missive. |
| But Gallacher shrugged it off. “I don’t recall receiving that email,” he said, adding later: “I didn’t, as a general rule, open my emails.” | But Gallacher shrugged it off. “I don’t recall receiving that email,” he said, adding later: “I didn’t, as a general rule, open my emails.” |
| 2. Geoffrey “Hollywood” Watson lives up to his nickname | 2. Geoffrey “Hollywood” Watson lives up to his nickname |
| Cleaning out the gutters of public life could be considered doleful work, but Icac’s bulldog counsel assisting approaches the task with a theatrical flair. It has earned him the nickname “Hollywood” among Sydney’s legal fraternity. | Cleaning out the gutters of public life could be considered doleful work, but Icac’s bulldog counsel assisting approaches the task with a theatrical flair. It has earned him the nickname “Hollywood” among Sydney’s legal fraternity. |
| Watson reportedly hates the name, but lived up to it on Wednesday, when he dramatically interrupted the evidence of the member for Swansea, Garry Edwards, to call a surprise witness. | Watson reportedly hates the name, but lived up to it on Wednesday, when he dramatically interrupted the evidence of the member for Swansea, Garry Edwards, to call a surprise witness. |
| Edwards became the eighth Liberal MP to go to the crossbenches last week after a Newcastle property developer, Jeff McCloy, told the inquiry he had given him $1,500 cash during the 2011 election campaign. | Edwards became the eighth Liberal MP to go to the crossbenches last week after a Newcastle property developer, Jeff McCloy, told the inquiry he had given him $1,500 cash during the 2011 election campaign. |
| Not so, Edwards testified on Wednesday afternoon. He admitted to receiving an envelope from McCloy, but said he never checked the contents, and had “handed it over to an associate to deal with it”. “Once I handed it over I forgot about it. I never thought about it again,” he said. | Not so, Edwards testified on Wednesday afternoon. He admitted to receiving an envelope from McCloy, but said he never checked the contents, and had “handed it over to an associate to deal with it”. “Once I handed it over I forgot about it. I never thought about it again,” he said. |
| Watson suddenly asked Edwards to step aside, announcing: “I call John Macgowan to the stand.” | Watson suddenly asked Edwards to step aside, announcing: “I call John Macgowan to the stand.” |
| Macgowan, who worked for Gallacher, testified that in the midst of the current inquiry, on 12 August, he had been called to an urgent, late-night meeting with Edwards at Parliament House in NSW. | Macgowan, who worked for Gallacher, testified that in the midst of the current inquiry, on 12 August, he had been called to an urgent, late-night meeting with Edwards at Parliament House in NSW. |
| There, Macgowan said, Edwards admitted knowingly taking cash from McCloy, and asked for guidance on what he should do. | There, Macgowan said, Edwards admitted knowingly taking cash from McCloy, and asked for guidance on what he should do. |
| Advised to “tell the Icac and tell the truth”, one of Edwards’s employees, Nicholas Jones, allegedly replied that there was no reason to come clean because the only other witness to the illegal payment, the Swansea electorate committee treasurer Max Newton, had since passed away. | Advised to “tell the Icac and tell the truth”, one of Edwards’s employees, Nicholas Jones, allegedly replied that there was no reason to come clean because the only other witness to the illegal payment, the Swansea electorate committee treasurer Max Newton, had since passed away. |
| Edwards looked a little shell-shocked when he was recalled. | Edwards looked a little shell-shocked when he was recalled. |
| “You got together with Mr Jones, didn’t you, and agreed not to bring this matter before Icac, didn’t you,” a triumphant Watson asked. | “You got together with Mr Jones, didn’t you, and agreed not to bring this matter before Icac, didn’t you,” a triumphant Watson asked. |
| “Absolutely not,” Edwards replied. | “Absolutely not,” Edwards replied. |
| “And you came here with the idea of telling a little bit of the truth mixed with a bunch of lies,” Watson pressed. | “And you came here with the idea of telling a little bit of the truth mixed with a bunch of lies,” Watson pressed. |
| “I did not,” he replied. | “I did not,” he replied. |
| 3. With friends like Joe Tripodi … | 3. With friends like Joe Tripodi … |
| In the dying months of the NSW Labor government, late in 2010, the former ports minister Joe Tripodi was flown by helicopter to Newcastle, where he met executives from the property developer Buildev. | In the dying months of the NSW Labor government, late in 2010, the former ports minister Joe Tripodi was flown by helicopter to Newcastle, where he met executives from the property developer Buildev. |
| At the time, Buildev, which was part owned by coal magnate Nathan Tinkler, was pushing to build a coal loader at a site in Mayfield, Newcastle. The coal loader stood to make the company – and Tinkler – tens of millions of dollars. | At the time, Buildev, which was part owned by coal magnate Nathan Tinkler, was pushing to build a coal loader at a site in Mayfield, Newcastle. The coal loader stood to make the company – and Tinkler – tens of millions of dollars. |
| Why did Buildev meet Tripodi, at the time a lowly backbencher? “Probably to learn from my knowledge,” Tripodi told the inquiry. | Why did Buildev meet Tripodi, at the time a lowly backbencher? “Probably to learn from my knowledge,” Tripodi told the inquiry. |
| But Buildev’s records from the meeting, obtained by Icac, suggested the company got more than just knowledge. The meeting’s minutes suggested Tripodi had agreed to get the then treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, to “stop” a rival bid for the Mayfield site from progressing later that week. | But Buildev’s records from the meeting, obtained by Icac, suggested the company got more than just knowledge. The meeting’s minutes suggested Tripodi had agreed to get the then treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, to “stop” a rival bid for the Mayfield site from progressing later that week. |
| Sure enough, days later, Roozendaal stopped the rival deal – denying this week that he was simply doing Tripodi’s bidding. | Sure enough, days later, Roozendaal stopped the rival deal – denying this week that he was simply doing Tripodi’s bidding. |
| And what did Tripodi get for advising Buildev? “It was just a courtesy. Maybe you do | And what did Tripodi get for advising Buildev? “It was just a courtesy. Maybe you do |
| nothing for anyone but I do,” he told Watson. Later he added that he was “just being obliging” because he was an “obliging type of person”. | nothing for anyone but I do,” he told Watson. Later he added that he was “just being obliging” because he was an “obliging type of person”. |
| But he was much less obliging to his fellow Labor minister, Jodi McKay. The former member for Newcastle lost her seat in 2011, partly thanks to a smear campaign that saw anonymous pamphlets distributed in letterboxes in her electorate. | But he was much less obliging to his fellow Labor minister, Jodi McKay. The former member for Newcastle lost her seat in 2011, partly thanks to a smear campaign that saw anonymous pamphlets distributed in letterboxes in her electorate. |
| McKay was opposed to building a coal terminal at Mayfield, preferring a shipping container terminal be built on the site instead. The pamphlet, luridly titled, “Stop Jodi’s Trucks”, warned residents that the container terminal she backed would clog suburban Newcastle with thousands of trucks. | McKay was opposed to building a coal terminal at Mayfield, preferring a shipping container terminal be built on the site instead. The pamphlet, luridly titled, “Stop Jodi’s Trucks”, warned residents that the container terminal she backed would clog suburban Newcastle with thousands of trucks. |
| Icac has previously heard evidence that Tinkler and Buildev helped to fund those pamphlets. This week, Tripodi confirmed that he, too, was involved, helping to craft their offending content. | Icac has previously heard evidence that Tinkler and Buildev helped to fund those pamphlets. This week, Tripodi confirmed that he, too, was involved, helping to craft their offending content. |
| “I became involved [but] it wasn’t my idea,” he told the inquiry. “I didn’t commission the work … it was commissioned without my knowledge.” | “I became involved [but] it wasn’t my idea,” he told the inquiry. “I didn’t commission the work … it was commissioned without my knowledge.” |
| Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally offered her view of his actions on Monday. “It’s the ultimate act of betrayal as a member of the Australian Labor party to work against an endorsed candidate,” she said. “It’s unthinkable.” | Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally offered her view of his actions on Monday. “It’s the ultimate act of betrayal as a member of the Australian Labor party to work against an endorsed candidate,” she said. “It’s unthinkable.” |
| 4. Eric Roozendaal doesn’t mind if you feed confidential Treasury information to an interested corporation | 4. Eric Roozendaal doesn’t mind if you feed confidential Treasury information to an interested corporation |
| Following advances from Joe Tripodi in November 2010, the former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal decided to halt a project to build a shipping container terminal at Mayfield, Newcastle. | Following advances from Joe Tripodi in November 2010, the former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal decided to halt a project to build a shipping container terminal at Mayfield, Newcastle. |
| This intervention came just in time for Buildev – had the project gone ahead, everyone agrees it would have been curtains for the coal loader they were hoping to build at the site. | This intervention came just in time for Buildev – had the project gone ahead, everyone agrees it would have been curtains for the coal loader they were hoping to build at the site. |
| This week, Watson put it to Roozendaal that Tripodi may have been acting as a mole inside government for Buildev; feeding the company confidential information, including from Roozendaal’s own office, to give it an advantage in the race to develop the Mayfield site. | This week, Watson put it to Roozendaal that Tripodi may have been acting as a mole inside government for Buildev; feeding the company confidential information, including from Roozendaal’s own office, to give it an advantage in the race to develop the Mayfield site. |
| In an extraordinary admission, Roozendaal said that he knew Tripodi “might have been speaking with Buildev, yes”. | In an extraordinary admission, Roozendaal said that he knew Tripodi “might have been speaking with Buildev, yes”. |
| “Did you think that was appropriate that Mr Tripodi could be communicating information from the minister’s office back to the [Buildev]?” an incredulous Watson asked. | “Did you think that was appropriate that Mr Tripodi could be communicating information from the minister’s office back to the [Buildev]?” an incredulous Watson asked. |
| “I didn’t think it was a problem,” Roozendaal said. | “I didn’t think it was a problem,” Roozendaal said. |
| “Why not?” | “Why not?” |
| “Because Mr Tripodi was a good working colleague of mine and he had probably the most extensive knowledge of ports operations and ports issues in the whole of government,” he said. | “Because Mr Tripodi was a good working colleague of mine and he had probably the most extensive knowledge of ports operations and ports issues in the whole of government,” he said. |
| “So you were quite happy for information from the minister’s office on this very issue getting back to Buildev via Mr Tripodi?” Watson pressed. | “So you were quite happy for information from the minister’s office on this very issue getting back to Buildev via Mr Tripodi?” Watson pressed. |
| “I wouldn’t say I was happy,” Roozendaal replied. But he admitted he had done nothing to stop it. | “I wouldn’t say I was happy,” Roozendaal replied. But he admitted he had done nothing to stop it. |
| 5. Alleged corruption is a big deal. Using Comic Sans MS on your front page? Even bigger. | 5. Alleged corruption is a big deal. Using Comic Sans MS on your front page? Even bigger. |
| See this story. | See this story. |