Stood-aside MP John Sidoti denies he is a property developer
John Sidoti has gone on the attack in parliament, accusing Labor of using the legal protections of parliamentary privilege to “lie” that he was a property developer.
NSW
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- Former sports minister John Sidoti declares another property
- John Sidoti, the $41.4 million cabinet minister
Stood-down MP John Sidoti was five years’ late seeking clearance from the Premier that his private business interests were not in conflict with his public duties. And Gladys Berejiklian has still not determined whether she was satisfied her former minister for sport and veterans could operate his portfolios without conflicts of interest.
The release last night of documents the government sought to keep secret also show Mr Sidoti was a potential beneficiary, via a family trust, of distributions from term deposits and two properties on Great North Road in Five Dock.
“The trust deed allows the trustees (his parents Catherine and John Sidoti) to make distributions to all family members entirely at their discretion,” the documents from the Department of Premier and Cabinet reveal.
“The minister is a potential beneficiary of this trust. The current investments are term deposits with the banks and two properties 122 and 124 Great North Road which are passive investments for rental returns.”
Labor’s spokesman for planning Adam Searle said the documents show potential breaches of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
“It is clear from the documents that John Sidoti was five years’ late applying for a ruling (under the code). Not only has he been tardy, but the Premier has been tardy in attending to her own obligations under the code. She is two years’ late making a ruling.”
Sidoti went on the attack in parliament, accusing Labor of using the legal protections of parliamentary privilege to “lie” that he was a property developer.
In a heated exchange in parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Sidoti said he was “not a developer in any shape or form” as Labor called for donations he had made to the Liberal Party to be ruled prohibited.
“It is illegal for John Sidoti to make donations because he is a property developer,” Greg Warren, Labor’s spokesman on local government told parliament yesterday.
Electoral Commission records reveal Mr Sidoti has donated about $3000 a year to the Liberal Party since 2014, when he declared a 10 per cent share in Rouse Hill land which is being redeveloped into residential towers next to a new North West Metro station.
Mr Warren said donations from developers and their “close associates” are banned in NSW, adding the money should be forfeited and instead donated to people affected by the bushfires.
“The NSW Liberal Party must immediately forfeit the money donated,” Mr Warren said.
Mr Sidoti interjected with “Aldi bag”, a reference to the alleged $100,000 cash donation to Labor being investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“The revelations about the member for Drummoyne, Mr John Sidoti operating as a minister by day and a property developer by night have been nothing short of outrageous. It is clear that a position in cabinet is untenable,” Mr Warren said.
Mr Sidoti replied: “He is using parliamentary privilege to make false allegations. What do you do by night?”
Mr Sidoti in September stood aside as minister for sport and veterans after a Telegraph investigation into his private business interests revealed his business partner in the Rouse Hill development had made a prohibited donation to the Liberal Party, which has since been forfeited.
Mr Warren said: “While it is not uncommon for members of parliament to donate to their parties there is one key difference in this alleged case that is it illegal for John Sidoti to make donations because he is a property developer.”
Labor Leader Jodi McKay has proposed new laws banning property developers from holding positions in Cabinet.
The Liberal Party was yesterday contacted for comment.