Premier Chris Minns has issued a stinging rebuttal to reports that a parliamentary inquiry has referred him to the state’s corruption watchdog, insisting Liberal and crossbench MPs were spreading “unsubstantiated rumours” for political pointscoring.
The report from the inquiry into plans to develop Rosehill racecourse into a new mini-city will be delivered on Friday, but an MP with knowledge of its findings has briefed some media that a key recommendation will be a referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
The Australian Turf Club owns the racecourse but has submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government for its land to be sold to developers to build 25,000 new homes in western Sydney. The proposal will only proceed if the club’s 15,000 members vote in favour of the sale.
Premier Chris Minns with Australian Turf Club chair Peter McGauran at Rosehill. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
A key line of inquiry from the committee focused on the friendship between Minns and ATC government relations manager Steve McMahon, who raised the idea of the housing development with the premier.
Minns said the ICAC was being used as a political football by politicians who opposed housing.
“We’ve seen the politicisation of the ICAC for a very long time in NSW. It is a political sport, but that doesn’t make it right, and I think it’s a leading indicator why more people don’t enter politics,” Minns said.
He said it was an “outrageous allegation” to suggest the meeting with McMahon, who served on Hurstville Council with Minns, amounted to corrupt conduct. It was listed in the premier’s diary disclosures as a “meet and greet”.
“I think your average taxpayer would look at this and say, is there any private benefit to be gained by anybody here,” he said.
Minns said he would continue to back the ATC’s Rosehill housing idea until April, when members meet to vote. He said he would be disappointed if they opposed the sale, but it would be their prerogative.
MPs on the committee, including chair Liberal MP Scott Farlow, would not confirm the report contents before its release, citing parliamentary rules, but outspoken independent MP Mark Latham, who was on the inquiry, has been regularly posting on social media site X alleging corruption.
Minns referred to Latham several times in his press conference on Thursday and warned claims of corrupt conduct were based on “unsubstantiated rumours” without evidence.
“I think it is distressing that both the Greens and the Liberal Party are now dancing to the tune of Mark Latham on this committee, but that’s a matter for them,” Minns said.
Posting on X on Thursday, Latham said: “Chris Minns says there is no evidence against him for an ICAC referral. FALSE.
“As of 7 December 2023 [when the plan was announced] the two great Labor mates had both done well out of the Rosehill sale announcement: Minns with the critics off his back for lacking a vision for Sydney; Macca [McMahon] as the miracle ‘can do’ man of NSW Racing, surely the next ATC CEO. Happy days.”
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