East Hills MP Glenn Brookes gives evidence at trial of ex-campaign manager Jim Daniel over pamphlets smearing Labor candidate

EAST HILLS state independent MP Glenn Brookes has given evidence at the trial of his former campaign manager and ex-Bankstown councillor Jim Daniel before the case was adjourned until March 2017.

East Hills state MP Glenn Brookes took the stand at the trial of his former campaign manager on Friday.

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EAST Hills state independent MP Glenn Brookes has given evidence at the trial of his former campaign manager, who is accused of letterbox dropping illegal election material smearing a Labor candidate during the 2015 State Election.

Former Bankstown councillor Jamil “Jim” Daniel is accused of distributing A4 colour “pamphlets” 11 days before the election, claiming then ALP candidate Cameron Murphy was “supporting of the rights of paedophiles”.

On day five of the trial last week, counsel for Mr Daniel, Manny Conditsis, quizzed Mr Brookes about a visit to his Revesby electoral office by Ron Norman.

Mr Norman was identified to the court as a Labor Party member.

Mr Brookes, the seat’s Liberal MP at the time, said Mr Norman had arrived unannounced for a meeting with himself and Mr Daniel carrying a “small folder”.

Jim Daniel outside court on day one of his trial.

He acknowledged the folder contained URL links with comments purportedly made by Mr Murphy.

But when later asked by NSW Electoral Commission counsel Peter Aitken what the folder contained, Mr Brookes said he hadn’t seen inside.

During the meeting, according to Mr Brookes, Mr Norman said “they’ve parachuted this b-----d in, we don’t want him”.

Mr Brookes was asked whether he found it “odd” for a Labor member to hand over information “that might assist with you knocking off a Labor Party candidate”.

Mr Brookes replied it might have seemed odd to someone “on the outside” but not to someone involved in politics.

He recalled the folder ended up in the hands of Mr Daniel after the meeting in late 2014.

Mr Brookes said he confronted Mr Daniel when allegations about his involvement with the pamphlets were repeatedly raised in NSW Parliament after the election.

Mr Murphy, who also gave evidence on Friday, has denied all allegations in the pamphlets.

“I asked if he had anything to do with it and the answer was ‘no’,” he said.

During Friday’s hearing, before Magistrate Peter Barnett SC, Mr Murphy also took the stand.

He said he first saw the pamphlet on March 18 after it was sent to his campaign worker Luke Mansillo from Nathan Bennett.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Bennett was presented as one of three witnesses who allegedly saw Mr Daniel dropping material into letterboxes on Dernancourt Parade, Milperra, on March 14 about 10pm.

Mr Murphy said he denied all allegations in the pamphlet.

The trial is the first criminal case prosecuted by the NSW Electoral Commission since it received new powers in December 2014.

Mr Daniel, who was in the public gallery on Friday, was suspended from the Liberal Party after he was served with court attendance notices by the NSW Electoral Commission in March.

The trial was adjourned partially heard until March 13.

Originally published as East Hills MP Glenn Brookes gives evidence at trial of ex-campaign manager Jim Daniel over pamphlets smearing Labor candidate