Ray Williams donations scandal: Cash from developer funnelled through Hawkesbury Club

UPDATE: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has addressed the allegations her new minister Ray Williams accepted illegal donations from property developers during Question Time today.

• NSW MINISTER TOOK CASH FROM DEVELOPERS: READ THE FULL DOSSIER

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has asked the state Liberal Party to investigate revelations in The Daily Telegraph that new minister Ray Williams accepted illegal donations from property developers.

Documents leaked to The Daily Telegraph can reveal Mr Williams, only recently promoted to the ministry by Ms Berejiklian, took ­donations from some of Sydney’s most prominent property developers.

Illegal donations from property developers were funnelled through Mr Williams’ Hawkesbury Club, where the annual fee of $990 was just below the $1000 disclosure threshold.

A cheque for $990 written by developer Jack Iori to pay for membership to Ray Williams’ Hawkesbury Club.

Ms Berejiklian this morning asked the NSW Liberal Party to investigate Mr Williams.

“I expect all MPs to maintain the highest standards of integrity and to comply with all relevant donations requirements,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Political donations are managed by the NSW Liberal Party and I have asked the party to investigate these claims.

“If any allegations of wrongdoing emerge, they will be referred to the NSW Electoral Commission.”

Ms Berejiklian, however, refused to say what action she will take if the Liberal Party identifies issues relating to Mr Williams, saying she does not want to discuss “any potential outcome”.

“I’m not going to speculate on what might transpire today,” she said.

“I want to say straight up that as Premier of NSW I will not tolerate any wrongdoing by anyone.”

During Question Time today, Ms Berejiklian read out a statement issued to her by the party’s state director, which she had received prior to the session commencing.

She quoted it as stating: “The party is still looking carefully at the donors and donations raised by the media as it is not clear whether the donors are considered to be property developers as defined under NSW election funding legislation.”

The Premier said the statement went on to note that “the donations in question were made to the Liberal Party and were processed and recorded by the Liberal Party”.

The statement said that the donations had been disclosed “in full”, regardless of their value.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has called for a probe into new minister Ray Williams. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Ms Berejiklian said the statement added: “I have written today to the NSW electoral commissioner and indicated the NSW division will fully assist the commission in relation to any inquiries it makes regarding this matter.”

The party intends to provide further documents if needed.

“The minister in question today has assured me he’s acted appropriately at all times,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The Premier urged anyone with “any allegations to make” to provide information to the Electoral Commission.

“If the electoral commission determines there is a case to answer, then I will act,” she said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian speak to MP Ray Williams in parliament yesterday, a day before the donations story broke. Picture: Adam Taylor

Mr Williams issued a statement this morning denying having ever accepted an illegal donation.

“Allegations made today regarding myself are completely false and I refute them entirely,” he said in the statement.

“I state for the record, I have never received an illegal donation.

“All donations made on behalf of a conference I have represented have been made directly to the Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division as is required by law.”

The opposition has urged the Premier to dump Mr Williams, arguing he should not have been appointed in the first place.

“Gladys Berejiklian must explain today why she thought Ray Williams was fit to be a minister when no one else did,” deputy opposition leader Michael Daley told 2GB today.

Mr Williams’ appointment to cabinet in Ms Berejiklian’s reshuffle ruffled feathers within the party last month, with speculation the centre right MP was promoted as part of factional deals.

THE HAWKESBURY CLUB

SEVERAL property developers told The Daily Telegraph they were asked to be members of the club, where they would pay an annual fee of $990 and in return could attend events with a wide range of prominent political speakers.

The Hawkesbury Club had formal invitations detailing the date and venue of the meeting, where a speaker would address the group.

Developer Jack Iori confirmed he made yearly donations of $990.

Bruce Lyon, from Lyon Group, was asked to join the club.

Property developer and owner of Rouse Hill Village Shopping Centre, John “Jack” Iori, who donated $990 on April 29, 2013, confirmed to The Daily Telegraph he had many developments. This included a 10-block gated estate he developed at 32 Withers Rd in Kellyville.

“I get on very well with Ray. I love him. I give him $990 every year,” he said.

“It was the Hawkesbury Club. I get invited to go and if you belong to the club, anybody will tell ya, you get ­invited to a few nights out and it’s very interesting. Knowledgeable, in other words.”

Prominent property developer Bruce Lyon, who is the founder of Lyon Group Australia, which develops commercial and residential estates, said he was invited to attend an association Mr Williams set up, but to the best of his recollection he declined.

He donated a smaller sum of $134 on July 2 in 2012, which were tickets for a fundraiser.

Mr Lyon said he had only had one meeting in recent years with Mr Williams, at Parliament House, regarding a development in Dural.

“He formed a Hawkesbury Club and someone said to me, ‘Would you like to come in?’,” Mr Lyon said.

“And I do support the conservative party, (but) I didn’t have very much to do with it.

“I’ve been in the property ­development business 60-odd years and I get annoyed with this stigma that has been put on people in the industry. We are all crooks all of a sudden.”