Michael Photios' wedding raises questions about lobbyists
IT was the wedding invitation to cherish for at least seven Liberal MPs. But Michael Photios's nuptials have raised many questions.
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IT was the wedding invitation to cherish for at least seven Liberal MPs.
But Michael Photios's nuptials on the Thai holiday isle of Phuket - attended by the MPs and senior O'Farrell government staff - puts in question the Premier's claims lobbyists will have "no influence" with his government.
Mr Photios, 50, married 25-year-old Kristina Iantchev, his third wife, this month. The former Liberal minister, who has had immense sway over preselections as a left-wing factional powerbroker, only recently quit as Liberal vice-president over conflicts with his new role as Premier State Consulting head.
Captured in wedding photographs were Legislative Council president Don Harwin and MPs Geoff Lee, Ray Williams, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, Gareth Ward, Mark Coure and Matt Kean.Among senior staffers were Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner's chief of staff, Rod Bruce, and Health Minister Jillian Skinner's chief of staff, Tom Callachor.
Other guests included Sally Fielke, chief executive of the Australian Hotels Association - a client of Mr Photios which recently had a win with amended three-strikes-and-you're-out laws.Apparently the invited ministers were advised by Mr O'Farrell not to attend, because it was a bad look.
The Premier was invited but Mr Photios said: "He couldn't come because he's got commitments in Australia and ... the Premier is not keen for ministers to take holidays."
Mr O'Farrell promised a new broom when elected, saying lobbyists would have no influence over his government.
He told Parliament in May when questioned about his association with Mr Photios: "Anyone else who believes that by employing a lobbyist they are going to get better access to my government or get an inside run ... is wasting their money."
Opposition Leader John Robertson said those at the wedding showed big companies would be lining up to take advantage of Mr Photios' influence.
"Michael Photios is still calling the shots in the NSW Liberals, only now he's getting paid for it," Mr Robertson said.
Mr Photios said there was absolutely "no lobbying" involved with the event.
Several of the MPs contacted by The Daily Telegraph declined to comment.