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| ICAC |
NSW Greens corruption spokesperson Jamie Parker MP has welcomed the announcement of ICAC hearings which will examine serious allegations of subversion of state election donation laws.
Media reports have indicated that Chinese billionaire and Crown high roller Huang Xiangmo's relationship with former NSW Labor party boss Jamie Clements and ex-state MP, Ernest Wong, will be the focus of fresh corruption commission hearings. Of specific interest to ICAC is a March 2015 Chinese Friends of Labor dinner, where $100,000 was raised for the party.
Jamie Parker MP says:
"ICAC has already made findings against Liberal MPs who were found to have acted to evade election funding laws and now NSW Labor officials are accused of subverting state election donation laws too.
"Both Labor and the Liberals are in a desperate battle for political donations and these allegations highlight the dangerous culture that exists in the old parties when it comes to fundraising.
"This case is yet another example of why we need a strong, well-funded ICAC to investigate the political corruption that is endemic to Liberal and Labor politics here in NSW.
"The Greens have been pressing for a total ban on the types of pay-per-view fundraising events that are being investigated by the ICAC because of their inherently corrupting influence.
"The community expects politicians to be beyond reproach. To effectively tackle corruption in NSW, the government needs to double ICAC funding, introduce stronger laws to protect whistle-blowers and support new, modern laws to ensure that MPs who are found to have acted corruptly actually go to jail," he says.
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01 August 2019
NSW Greens MPs have called on the government to review Crown's casino gaming licence in light of fresh allegations against the casino operator.
Crown has been referred to the federal corruption watchdog, and the failure of the Victorian gaming regulator and Victoria Police to properly police Crown in Victoria have seen them both referred to that state's anti-corruption commission.
Jamie Parker MP, NSW Greens spokesperson on anti-corruption says:
"Revelations about the conduct of Crown including allegations of money laundering, links to organised crime and their handling of foreign visitors should raise issues with their license here in NSW.
"The government must show that they are willing and able to hold this corporation to account.
"It's alarming that the NSW Government was fast-tracking Crown's Barangaroo casino licence at the same time as the AFP was investigating links between Crown tour operators and international organised crime.
"Crown are required to meet the requirement of being 'fit and proper' to hold a license and given the mounting allegations against them, the government should initiate an urgent and detailed review," he says.
Cate Faehrmann MLC, NSW Greens spokesperson on hospitality, liquor and gambling says:
"As part of the approval process for their Barangaroo VIP Casino, Crown agreed to pay a $100m licence fee and to pay at least $1bn in gaming taxes in the first 15 years of operation.
"That deal creates a fundamental conflict of interest and given the government's track record of giving special treatment to gambling interests in NSW, it's a cause for serious concern," she said.
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