ICAC: Chris Spence reveals personal toll of corruption investigation

Caught up in a scandal not of his own making and eventually cleared, this former MP cannot escape the stain of an ICAC investigation that ruined his reputation and changed his life.

Former Liberal MP Chris Spence speaks out about the ICAC investigation that ended his career. Picture: Sue Graham

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Chris Spence cannot seem to escape the spectre of an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation, which put his family “through hell” and effectively ended a promising political career.

While the Tumbi Umbi father of three was cleared of allegations of corruption and obtaining prohibited developer donations, he acknowledges the stories loom large.

“I can’t take away Google,” the former The Entrance state Liberal MP said.

“I can never stop someone bringing up the ICAC inquiry. The presumption of guilt was massive — our reputation was damaged.

Mr Spence says he will never return to politics. Picture: Sue Graham

“When we were cleared I wanted to scream it from the rooftops.

“It was three years too late and the difficulty we face to this day is that there was no exoneration process through ICAC.”

Mr Spence, then state MP for The Entrance, and fellow Wyong Liberal MP Darren Webber were embroiled in a 2014 ICAC inquiry set up to investigate donations made to the Liberal party in the lead up to the 2011 NSW state election.

It was alleged certain NSW Liberal Party candidates received prohibited developer donations.

He said his family’s world was turned upside down in February 2014.

Chris Spence and former Wyong Liberal state MP Darren Webber were both cleared by the NSW Crown Solicitor in 2017.

Mr Spence and Mr Webber had just been re-endorsed by the Liberal Party when the public inquiry was announced.

The investigation forced the pair to remove themselves to the crossbench and then eventually retire from politics in 2015.

“Just by being named in the ICAC inquiry was the end of our careers,” Mr Spence said. “When Darren and I walked out to the crossbench, we had no support. No one cared. We were seen as being toxic.”

The inquiry took its toll on the men and their families.

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Mr Spence’s wife Vienna was home with their newborn daughter when “five guys in SWAT vests raided our home”.

“I had my entire life forensically examined by ICAC; we were living day to day knowing our phone was tapped” Mr Spence said.

He said he felt bullied, as allegations of corruption and bribery surfaced.

In 2016 ICAC found that Mr Spence and Mr Webber “attempted” to circumvent donation funding laws.

“Darren and I lost our job, ability to recontest and were cast off in disgrace.”

But then in January 2017, the NSW Crown Solicitor released a statement dismissing the ICAC accusations against the pair and stated there was “insufficient evidence” that donations were from prohibited donors.

Mr Spence said the Crown Solicitor’s findings showed their careers were destroyed because ICAC was working outside its jurisdiction.

“My grandfather was so proud when I was elected as a Liberal member, and he died before the Crown Solicitor came out with the findings,” he said.

Mr Spence said he loved being an MP.

“It was so embarrassing for all of us; for my wife to go back to work.

“For a politician to be accused of corruption, there’s nothing worse.

“To go through all of that and come out the other end knowing that I didn’t do anything wrong and I shouldn’t have been there … it’s tough.”

He said it took a long time for him to bounce back and find a job and is now working in project management.

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“Politics was my life and I enjoyed what I did,” he said.

“All of my eggs were in the one basket whereas other people had things to go back to.

“I will never go back to politics; it has become so adversarial and personal. You are a target 24/7 for everything you do. I would not do it to my friends and family.

“However I still strongly believe in community service, however for me it ended … it was a tough time.”