NSW Labor MP Tim Crakanthorp booted from cabinet over breach of ministerial conduct

NSW MP Tim Crakanthorp has been sacked as a minister and referred to ICAC over a “significant breach of ministerial conduct”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has lost a cabinet minister just four months into his government.

Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education minister Tim Crakanthorp has been asked to resign from cabinet and referred to ICAC over a “significant breach of ministerial conduct”.

Mr Minns said in a snap press conference on Wednesday he had concerns Mr Crakanthorp “may have acted in matters in which he had a conflict between his public duties and private interests of members of his family”.

The Premier said he had “lost confidence” in the Newcastle MP, who he said did not detail “all known holdings by family members until recently”.

“In short, Minister Crakanthorp did not supply information about substantial private family holdings in the Hunter Region until recently when he should have, constituting a clear breach of the ministerial code,” Mr Minns said.

Mr Crakanthorp was first elected to the NSW lower house in 2014 as the Newcastle MP. He was given the portfolios for the Hunter, and Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education after Labor won the election in March this year.

NSW minister Tim Crakanthorp has resigned from cabinet over a “significant breach of ministerial code”. Picture: Supplied

Minister’s failure to disclose referred to ICAC

The Premier confirmed he has also referred the information, and “other information” to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which will decide independently if it will conduct a formal inquiry.

Mr Minns said the scope of Mr Crakanthorp’s family holdings included commercial and private personal properties held by family members, including his wife and in-laws in the Hunter Region.

The Premier reiterated concerns Mr Crakanthorp “may have acted in matters that rendered material benefit to him, or his family as a result of decisions he made”.

“Obviously we were elected not long ago with the promise to restore trust and integrity to public matters and public life,” said Mr Minns.

“Breaches to the ministerial code in this matter, are a clear breach of that undertaking and as a result I had to act and as a result Mr Crakanthorp will not be a minister in my government.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns said Mr Crakanthorp did not disclose the “significant” amount of properties held by his family members. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Nikki Short

In the interim, Deputy Premier and Education and Early Learning Minister Prue Car will take on the portfolio for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education, with Police Minister Yasmin Catley appointed as the interim minister for the Hunter.

In a statement from Mr Crakanthorp, he said he “self-reported a breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct to Premier Chris Minns and resigned as a minister in the NSW government”.

“I will continue as the Member for Newcastle.”

Opposition Leader: ‘Public entitled to know more’

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called on the government to release more details related to what decisions made by Mr Crakanthorp may have been impacted by his undisclosed conflicts of interests.

“This is very disappointing so early in the government but the public now needs to know what decisions are potentially impacted by all these conflicts and what the Premier proposes to do about it,” he said.

Although Mr Speakman did not call on Mr Crakanthorp to remove himself from the party room until the matter is resolved, he said more information was needed to ensure “public confidence” in the government.

Originally published as NSW Labor MP Tim Crakanthorp booted from cabinet over breach of ministerial conduct