ICAC: Joe Tripodi a ‘Labor rat’ in the ranks

FORMER Labor minister Joe Tripodi has been found corrupt by ICAC for leaking confidential NSW Treasury documents to Nathan Tinkler’s company Buildev ahead of the 2011 election.

FORMER Labor minister Joe Tripodi has been found corrupt by ICAC for leaking confidential NSW Treasury documents to Nathan Tinkler’s company Buildev ahead of the 2011 election.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley said of Mr Tripodi, who was also criticised for aiding a campaign that led to a fellow ALP MP losing her seat: “Throw the book at him. I first tried to expel Tripodi from the Labor Party 24 years ago. And today he is exposed as somebody who is not only corrupt but a Labor rat.’’

Current Strathfield Labor MP Jodi McKay was voted out of her then seat of Newcastle in 2011, following a concerted campaign against her worth more than $58,000 funded by Mr Tinkler’s company.

“That was a manipulated election, it was an election that was stolen from me,” Ms McKay (right) said.

ICAC found Mr Tripodi was instrumental in a leaflet campaign that alleged Ms McKay’s support for a container terminal, in ­direct conflict with Mr Tinkler’s proposal for a coal loader, that would see 1000 trucks a day driving through suburban Newcastle streets.

ICAC also found Buildev paid the $8977 printing costs for the flyers and also paid $50,000 to a third-party campaign against Ms McKay.

 

 

Former NSW Ports Minister Joe Tripodi.

 

The corruption finding against Mr Tripodi stems from the leaking of a confidential NSW Treasury report to Buildev which gave them a commercial advantage, with ICAC finding he was “improperly motivated to provide an ­advantage to Buildev thereby ingratiating himself with the management of Buildev in the hope that he could secure future benefit” from the company.

The report said, while no finding could be made about Mr Tripodi’s actions against Ms McKay, “it does reinforce the commission’s finding Mr Tripodi acted throughout in support of Buildev’s interests”.

ICAC also concluded that former Labor treasurer Eric Roozendaal “directly or indirectly” leaked the report to Mr Tripodi, but said there is no evidence he was “complicit” in then passing it on to Buildev.

 

Mr Foley yesterday praised Ms McKay as the “woman they couldn’t buy”.

“She never should have lost her seat in the Parliament, her seat was stolen from her by corrupt characters,” Mr Foley said.

Ms McKay, now MP for the Sydney seat of Strathfield, said it had been more than five years since she first reported her concerns about the 2011 campaign against her, but at the time nothing was done: “Today I feel vindicated, I fought him ... and so I am pleased with that finding against Joe Tripodi.’’

ICAC has referred Mr Tripodi to the DPP for consideration of charging him with misconduct in public office.

The commission made no adverse finding or comment against Mr Roozendaal.

Cartoonist Warren Brown’s view.