James O’Doherty: Liberals falls for embarrassing stunt in Minns ICAC ‘smear’ over Rosehill Racecourse plan

The Liberal Party found an unlikely bedfellow in its attempted take-down of Premier Chris Minns. They should be embarrassed they fell for the oldest political stunt in the book, writes James O’Doherty.

The unlikely bedfellows working to poke holes in the plan to sell off Rosehill Racecourse to create a 25,000 home mini-city have fallen for one of the oldest political stunts in the book.

Suggesting Premier Chris Minns be hauled in front of the corruption watchdog for claims of - largely - mischaracterising a meeting with the Australian Turf Club’s government relations chief is overreach.

The chief argument among the coterie of MPs critical of the ATC’s unsolicited proposal - which has been championed by the Premier - is that the idea was given the rails run through the bureaucracy, and that a meeting discussing the plan was only described as a “meet and greet” on official disclosures.

While that description is vague, it is not unusual. Countless other meetings disclosed in the Premier’s diary are described in the same way (including meetings with old friends, like Morris Iemma).

Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales lashed out at the suggestion he should be referred to the ICAC. Picture: Monique Harmer

John Hatzistergos, ICAC Chief Commissioner has warned against weaponising the watchdog. Picture: Richard Dobson

They also argue that Minns should have declared he was old friends with ATC’s government relations chief Steve McMahon, and that the meeting should have been held with someone more senior. That’s despite the fact that McMahon’s job, quite literally, is to meet with the government.

In any event, the idea that the Independent Commission Against Corruption will jump to investigate an allegation of an improperly declared meeting just because an Upper House inquiry wants it to is nonsense.

ICAC is the ruler of its own destiny, and Upper House committees have no power to direct its work.

MPs listen to evidence during the Inquiry into the proposal to develop Rosehill Racecourse at state parliament on Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos has even warned MPs and candidates against “weaponising” referrals for political gain.

Before the local government elections, he said that trying to leverage the ICAC “for political advantage, whether it be via a referral or some other means, is inappropriate”.

“Allegations should not be used as a weapon to level at a political rival.”

Leaking the details of the referral before a parliamentary inquiry delivered its final report was also a massive tactical error.

The inquiry looked into plans to acquire Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

Inside the inquiry, fingers are being pointed at independent MP and serial hospitality recipient Mark Latham as the person who briefed out details of confidential committee deliberations.

That is, technically, against the rules. Other committee members are seething.

Leaking the details gave Minns more than a day of clear air to refute the allegations of wrongdoing as “unsubstantiated” and “disgraceful,” while members of the Rosehill inquiry were forced to stay mute.

It is embarrassing that the Liberal Party has fallen for a stunt pushed, MPs claim, by Latham - the man with the least credibility in Macquarie Street.

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