Oped By Greens MP and donations spokesperson Lee Rhiannon 17 August 2009

Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell has stuck his neck out on political donations reform, lobbysist activities and election expenditure in an attempt to get ahead of Premier Rees in the eyes of the electorate. 

It's a courageous manoeuvre, as Sir Humphrey would say, given the growing disquiet about overdevelopment in Mr O'Farrell's own electorate of Ku-ring-gai and his personal record on accepting donations from developers and lobbyists. 

The Greens' Democracy4sale.org project has uncovered numerous examples of corporate fundraising by Mr O'Farrell in his electorate. 

Take for example the developer Leighton Holdings, who disclosed precise records of its largesse to the major parties in the lead up to the last election.  Leighton Holdings has numerous large development projects in NSW, including the Royal North Shore Hospital re-development.

On 3 March 2006 Leighton Holdings donated $1,500 for a table of 10 people at the Ku-ring-gai Business Breakfast with Barry O'Farrell.  They donated $595 to the NSW Liberals again on 11 July and 2 November 2006 to a Gordon post office box. Then on 19 January 2007 they donated a further $1,500 to the NSW Liberals via a Turramurra post office box.  This is just one developer who has attended Barry O'Farrell's electorate fundraisers.

Leighton Holdings' chief executive Wal King once said that making political donations was "like giving your wife flowers—why wouldn't you do it?"

Other donations listed directly to Barry O'Farrell's electorate campaign include donations from Insurance Australia Group ($120), the Commonwealth Bank ($250) and Laundy Trading Pty Ltd, a Bass Hill hotelier ($1,490). 

These are just the tip of the ice berg revealed through a few donor's forms. It is not possible to produce exact figures on Mr O'Farrell's fundraising success as he has adopted the Coalition reporting system that funnels all donations through the party head office.  Donations can only be sourced back to the Liberal leader when they appear on a donor company's disclosure form.

We know that other property developers with big projects in Ku-ring-gai also give generously to the NSW Liberal party, possibly at Mr O'Farrell's own fundraisers. 

Johnson's Property Group, which is re-developing the controversial SAN Hospital site in Wahroonga, has donated $150,200 to the NSW Coalition in the past few years. 

Rosecorp, which built a massive retirement village in an inappropriate fire prone location adjacent to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, has donated $32,000 to the NSW Liberals. 

Mirvac, which has built high-rise apartments on the Pacific Highway, have given the NSW Liberals $163,200. 

Stockland, which recently purchased land in Gordon for $24 million to build 140 apartments, has donated $200,000 to the NSW Liberal party.

Mr O'Farrell's rhetoric on lobbyists also rings hollow.  Since 1999 the NSW Liberals have accepted well over $3 million in donations from members of the property developer lobby group, the NSW Urban Taskforce.

Donor's disclosure forms submitted to the NSW Election Funding Authority (NSWEFA) after the 2007 election revealed that the lobbyist deals between Mr O'Farrell and his party colleagues extends well beyond the property development industry.   

The NSWEFA election donor disclosure dated 12 February 2008 lists Barry O'Farrell amongst nine key Coalition MPs who accepted 24 donations directly from the lobbyist group Clubs NSW, presumably for fundraisers in their electorates.  Clubs NSW declared donating $5,000 directly for Mr O'Farrell's campaign, and gave a total of $280,409 to the NSW Coalition parties and nine MPs during the 2007 election campaign.

For years the NSW Liberals have funnelled donations to the campaigns of individual MPs and local government councillors through head office so their major donors are hidden from public scrutiny. 

Under Barry O'Farrell's leadership the Coalition has always voted with Labor to block the Greens' attempts to increase transparency of political donations disclosure.

The big question now is will O'Farrell take the critical step of banning all donations to the NSW Liberals from corporations and special interest groups?

Lee Rhiannon is the Greens' Donations spokesperson
Visit Democracy4sale.org




Background:

Local Ku-ring-gai developers who donate to NSW Liberals
Research prepared for the 2007 state election – figures have been updated.

·    Developer:  Rosecorp Pty Ltd
The Landings Retirement Village, North Turramurra

The original Landings development was grossly over-scale for a bushfire prone retirement village adjacent to a national park.  After this was passed through Council the Rural Fire Commissioner was said to have ruled out any more SEPP5 development in North Turramurra.  Yet now Rosecorp has applied to expand The Landings.

Rosecorp Pty Ltd donated $20,000 to the NSW Liberal Party last year.  They are a prominent member of the property developer lobby group, the NSW Urban Taskforce.


·    Developer:  Johnson Property Group
SAN Adventist Hospital site re-development, Wahroonga

The SAN Hospital could be approved with a ‘concept plan’, created to allow the Planning Minister to give quick approvals to developers while still saying that the community was consulted.

Mr Keith Johnson heads Johnson Property Group. He is a large residential developer.   Since 2002, Johnson Property Group has donated $307,281 to the major parties in NSW.  Almost a quarter million dollars was donated to the NSW ALP, $245,981 to be exact, and $61,300 was donated to the NSW Liberal party. 

In 2005/06 alone they donated $74,250 to NSW Labor and $39,500 to the NSW Liberals. 

·    Developer:  Mirvac
Marshall Ave & Pacific Hwy, Warawee

Mirvac Pty Ltd developed the first SEPP53 high density housing development in Warrawee.  This is one of the State Government’s six targeted medium-high density railway sites.

Mirvac has donated $152,200 to NSW Liberal Party in the past two terms of Government.  Last year they donated $37,000 to the NSW Liberals. 


·    Developer:  Stockland
Merriwa St & McIntyre St, Gordon site – purchased for $24 million

Stockland are re-developing this site with the Minister for Planning as the consent authority.  Stockland hopes to return $110 million from building 140 apartments on the site.  The community’s concerns will go unheard and unheeded.

Stockland have donated $148,708 to the NSW Liberal party in the past two terms of Government – that’s $35,000 more than they donated to NSW Labor!



EFA Donors disclosure, dated 12 February 2008 lists
http://www.efa.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/48130/Donors_Details_Published_080212.pdf

Peter Debnam 300, 150, 2200, 600, 1000, 1000, 2000, 500, 1000, 300, 150, 400, 400
Andrew Fraser (NAT) 500, 1000
Malcolm Kerr 400, 110
Thomas George (NAT) 220, 220
Mike Baird 380
George Souris (Nat) 1000
Barry Ofarrelll 5000
Gladys Berejiklian 480
Katrina Hodgkinson 500

· 23.02.2007  From Clubs NSW to Barry O'Farrell/LIBERAL - $5,000
· 30.03.2006  From Insurance Australia Group to  Barry O'Farrell/LIBERAL - $120
· 18.08.2005  From Commonwealth Bank to Barry O'Farrell/LIBERAL - $250
· 19.03.2007  From Laundy trading Pty Ltd (Bass Hill hotelier) to Barry O'Farrell/LIBERAL - $1,490

Total:  $6,860


3rd March 2006 Leighton Holdings donated $1,500 for a table of 10 people at the Ku-ring-gai Business Breakfast with Barry O'Farrell.  Donated $595 to the NSW Liberals again on 11 July and 2nd November 2006 to a Gordon post office box in Barry's electorate.  Then gave $1,500 to the the NSW Lbierals via a Turramrura post office box on 19th January 2007.Jut one developer thorough enough to include the electorate details on their donor's forms.




Belford Productions had contributed $20,000 to Pru Goward.

The wealthy founder and chief executive of WorleyParsons, which is involved in the energy and resources industries, had donated $5000 to Baird's campaign.

Yet many had spent large sums campaigning. Mike Baird spent more than $263,000 in Manly, Peter Debnam almost $94,000 in Vaucluse, Barry O'Farrell $42,000 in Ku-ring-gai and Chris Hatcher more than $200,000 in Terrigal.

While it is not illegal to funnel donations through a party's head office and cut out any money trail to a local candidate, the practice raises ethical questions.
Money is given to the campaign committees of candidates who agree to take the donation and pass it on to other candidates who claim not to take "dirty" money.

Background

St Ives shopping centre developers (EK Nominees) are donors to the NSW Libs
- around $40K and $30K since 2006.  Several donations were within a week of
Cllr Hall (St Ives ward) doing favours in Council meeting.  He can be seen
regularly at the shopping centre each week and on hustungs during Council
election campaigns.
Cllr Hall's wife is a staffer for Brendan Nelson.  There are other
Liberal links.

Cllr Hall has moved two motions that favour EK Nominees in Council, with a
week of the developer making $5,000 donations to the party:

A motion to increase floor space ratios moved same week as $5,000 donation
to NSW Libs.

$5,000 - Camellia Grove Nursing home (owned by EK Nominees) upzoned to
Hospital status, thereby increasing value.   That site is now being mooted
for buyback scheme.  Will be windfall for developer.

DONATIONS FROM EK NOMINEES:*

*Grand total:  $37,000*

EK Nominees donor form EFA for 2007 Election:
E K Nominees Pty Ltd, Suite 5308, Level 53, 19 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000

20.12.2006 LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES DIVISION 5,000
14.02.2007 LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES DIVISION 5,000
Total $10,000

Liberal Party EFA return for 2007 Election:
01.07.2003 E K Nominees Pty Ltd  10,000
01.07.2004 E K Nominees Pty Ltd 5,000
10.01.2007 E K Nominees Pty Ltd 5,000
15.03.2006 E K Nominees Pty Ltd 5,000
22.02.2007 E K Nominees Pty Ltd 5,000
*Total $30,000*

 AEC donations:  see donor form
4 Sept 1998 Liberal NSW (Bradfield FEC) Property E K Nominees Pty Ltd $5,000
12 Feb 1999 Liberal NSW  Property EK Nominees Pty Ltd $2,000