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Barry O’Farrell tells Icac he was not the mysterious ‘big man’ donor Barry O’Farrell tells Icac he was not the mysterious ‘big man’ donor
(about 3 hours later)
The former premier of New South Wales, Barry O’Farrell, has denied he was the “big man” who was allegedly going to provide $120,000 to a Liberal candidate in Newcastle. The former premier of New South Wales, Barry O’Farrell, has denied he is the “big man” who was set to provide $120,000 to a Liberal candidate in Newcastle.
During his second appearance at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) in Sydney, O’Farrell said he was “wheeled out” to many functions as opposition leader in the run-up to the 2011 state election, but the actual fundraising and allocation of funds was the responsibility of the NSW Liberals’ head office. During his second appearance at the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Sydney, O’Farrell said he had been “wheeled out” to many functions as opposition leader in the runup to the 2011 state election, but the actual fundraising and allocation of funds was the responsibility of the NSW Liberals’ head office.
The mysterious “big man” was referenced in text messages sent before the 2011 election by a Liberal staffer for disgraced former Newcastle MP Tim Owen and the former police minister, Michael Gallacher. The mysterious “big man” was referenced in text messages sent before the 2011 election by a Liberal staffer for the disgraced former Newcastle MP Tim Owen and the former police minister, Michael Gallacher.
“How’s our big man going with the $120k,” the staffer, Hugh Thomson, wrote.“How’s our big man going with the $120k,” the staffer, Hugh Thomson, wrote.
Chris Hartcher, a Liberal MP who has joined the crossbench since allegations of corruption were raised in Icac, told the commission Gallacher had referred to O’Farrell as “the big man” and the “big kahuna” for years, “even after he became premier”.Chris Hartcher, a Liberal MP who has joined the crossbench since allegations of corruption were raised in Icac, told the commission Gallacher had referred to O’Farrell as “the big man” and the “big kahuna” for years, “even after he became premier”.
There has also been speculation that billionaire Nathan Tinkler, a prohibited donor at the time, was the “big man”. There has also been speculation that the former mining magnate Nathan Tinkler, a prohibited donor at the time, was the “big man”.
“I have no recollection of specific conversations of Mr Gallacher coming to talk to me to request a sum for a seat or seats in the Hunter, but what I do know is that if they [Liberal MPs and candidates] touched on matters that were the responsibility of head office, I sent them to head office. I frankly didn’t have the time … to start dealing with these other matters. I also didn’t have access to $120,000,” O’Farrell told Icac on Monday.“I have no recollection of specific conversations of Mr Gallacher coming to talk to me to request a sum for a seat or seats in the Hunter, but what I do know is that if they [Liberal MPs and candidates] touched on matters that were the responsibility of head office, I sent them to head office. I frankly didn’t have the time … to start dealing with these other matters. I also didn’t have access to $120,000,” O’Farrell told Icac on Monday.
Referring to a fitness regime that has seen him lose a substantial amount of weight in recent years, O’Farrell quipped that he had not been called “big man” in a while and that Gallacher usually called him “Barry” or “boss” in “curious police jargon”. Referring to a fitness regime that has led to him losing a substantial amount of weight in recent years, O’Farrell quipped that he had not been called “big man” in a while and that Gallacher usually called him “Barry” or “boss” in “curious police jargon”.
“I can’t possibly know what other people call me … I don’t know who the big man is,” he said.“I can’t possibly know what other people call me … I don’t know who the big man is,” he said.
O’Farrell said he was a “sceptic” about whether the Liberals could win the traditional Labor seats of Newcastle and Charlestown and was more focused on the seats of Maitland and Port Stephens. He said it was a “wonderful surprise” when the Liberal party won the seats in the last state election. O’Farrell said he was a “sceptic” about whether the Liberals could win the traditional Labor seats of Newcastle and Charlestown and was more focused on the seats of Maitland and Port Stephens. He said it was a “wonderful surprise” when the party won the seats in the last state election.
He said he had “high level” discussions with the NSW state director of the Liberal party about funding. But asked if he had any role in providing additional or specific funding for any seats, O’Farrell responded “not to my knowledge”. He said he had “high-level” discussions with the NSW state director of the Liberal party about funding. But asked if he had any role in providing additional or specific funding for any seats, O’Farrell responded: “Not to my knowledge.”
“The allocation of key seat funding is one of the responsibilities of the state directors … it’s largely driven these days by science, internal party polling and how well a local candidate is working in the field,” he said.“The allocation of key seat funding is one of the responsibilities of the state directors … it’s largely driven these days by science, internal party polling and how well a local candidate is working in the field,” he said.
Counsel assisting Icac, Geoffrey Watson, asked O’Farrell numerous times if he ever had any role in providing additional, specific or special funding to any particular seats. Each time O’Farrell said he did not recall ever having such a role and to his knowledge was never involved in providing fundings for seats when he was opposition leader.Counsel assisting Icac, Geoffrey Watson, asked O’Farrell numerous times if he ever had any role in providing additional, specific or special funding to any particular seats. Each time O’Farrell said he did not recall ever having such a role and to his knowledge was never involved in providing fundings for seats when he was opposition leader.
“I had enough on my plate without intruding on the traditional roles of head office,” he said.“I had enough on my plate without intruding on the traditional roles of head office,” he said.
O’Farrell said it would have been “very unusual” for a key seats package of $120,000 to be provided to Newcastle or Charlestown, as legislation had passed parliament stopping any candidate from spending more than $100,000 on their campaign.O’Farrell said it would have been “very unusual” for a key seats package of $120,000 to be provided to Newcastle or Charlestown, as legislation had passed parliament stopping any candidate from spending more than $100,000 on their campaign.
O’Farrell said he “absolutely did not” know the Free Enterprise Foundation was allegedly being used by the NSW Liberal party to “wash” donations from prohibited donors such as property developers. He said he would have “threatened merry hell” if he had found out. The former premier said he “absolutely did not” know the Free Enterprise Foundation was allegedly being used by the NSW Liberal party to “wash” donations from prohibited donors such as property developers. He said he would have “threatened merry hell” if he had found out.
O’Farrell resigned as premier earlier this year after misleading Icac over a $3,000 bottle of wine he was given as a gift by a lobbyist, but which he did not declare. Outside Icac, O’Farrell said he shared “the despair and disappointment” of the community that the efforts of the NSW Liberal party in government were being overshadowed by allegations about “the actions of a very few number of people who decided, allegedly, to take illegal donations”.
“At all times, I told colleagues, told candidates and expected people in the Liberal party to abide by the rules. Yes, the rules changed, but you expect people to abide by those rules as they occur.”
O’Farrell resigned as premier this year after misleading Icac over a $3,000 bottle of wine he was given as a gift by a lobbyist, but which he did not declare.
The developer Lee Brinkmeyer also took the witness stand to answer questions about a $20,000 donation to the Free Enterprise Foundation but said he was not aware the foundation was allegedly being used to funnel prohibited donations.
Brinkmeyer said he thought he was donating to the Liberal and Nationals party of Australia through the company but did not ask many questions.
“As a businessman spending company funds, you’ve written a $20K cheque for a company you know nothing about except having a phone number for someone who you’ve never met?” the Icac commissioner, Megan Latham, asked.
“When you put it that way, it sounds bad,” Brinkmeyer said.
Latham responded: “It sounds more than bad, it sounds absurd.”
When he was asked why he did not simply write a cheque to the NSW Liberal party instead of donating to the Free Enterprise Foundation, Brinkmeyer said: “It wasn’t discussed, this was recommended as a good organisation to donate to so that’s what we did.”
Brinkmeyer’s phone was seized at Icac for examination with Brinkmeyer saying it was a “travel phone”. When asked how often he travelled Brinkmeyer said “not as much” as he used to.
“Why 18 months ago did you buy a travel phone?” junior counsel, Greg O’Mahoney asked. “Why not?” Brinkmeyer replied.
When the phone was examined it was found to have no information on it, with O’Mahoney suggesting records had been deleted from it.
O’Mahoney asked if the phone was Brinkmeyer’s “Icac travelling phone” which he rejected. Asked if someone had advised him to pack another phone for Icac Brinkmeyer responded: “Not that I can recollect.”
The hearings of Operation Spicer, which is examining allegedly corrupt donations to the Liberal party, are due to finish on Friday.