Consulting firm accused of plan to secretly funnel funds to Stuart Robert

A Canberra consulting firm allegedly planned to secretly funnel funds to former federal Liberal MP Stuart Robert in return for his help in winning government contracts.

The claim set off a political firestorm on Wednesday and prompted a federal inquiry to call on a close friend of Robert to answer key questions about the affair within four weeks, while the former cabinet minister insisted he had done no wrong.

The explosive claim was revealed in a sworn statement to a parliamentary inquiry by a former insider of the consultancy firm, Synergy 360, and marked a dramatic escalation in a scandal first exposed by this masthead last November when leaked emails revealed how Robert had repeatedly helped Synergy 360 win clients and contracts.

The statement from Anthony Daly, the ex-husband of one of the former owners of Synergy 360, businesswoman Kham Xaysavanh, is the first time one of the consulting firm’s insiders has gone on the record with a formal allegation about the links between the firm and Robert.

Daly gave the statement to the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit to assist its inquiries after a government review found in March that contracts linked to Synergy 360 and worth $374 million in taxpayer funds needed further investigation.

The other two former owners of Synergy 360 are ex-military official David Milo, a friend of Robert, and entrepreneur John Margerison, who was also Robert’s key political fundraiser.

Daly, who helped manage the Canberra firm’s computer systems and performed other administrative tasks for the firm, alleged in his sworn statement that he helped arrange for Margerison’s company, United Marketing, to receive a 20 per cent stake in Synergy 360 firm in September 2017, after a meeting between Milo and Xaysavanh at the Hyatt Hotel.

“Ultimately, this arrangement was designed to facilitate the flow of funds through United Marketing and onward to Stuart Robert,” he said.

“The main objective of this arrangement was to secure Stuart Robert’s involvement and support in acquiring federal government contracts.

“Stuart Robert’s political influence and connections within the government sector were deemed crucial in ensuring favourable outcomes.”

Synergy 360 part-owner David Milo, former MP Stuart Robert and another Synergy 360 co-owner, John Margerison.Credit: Fairfax Media

Xaysavanh, Milo, Margerison and Robert have all denied the allegations that Robert was secretly helping Synergy 360 and its clients win contracts, or ever stood to benefit for doing so.

In another allegation, Daly said that Margerison benefited from his contact with Robert by gaining information that could help him invest in properties that would be leased by government agencies – including those overseen by Robert.

“David Milo told me that Stuart Robert directed Centrelink leases towards properties owned by one of Margerison’s companies, resulting in favourable terms such as high rents and long lease durations,” Daly said.

Robert was Government Services Minister and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme from May 2019 to March 2021.

The revelations set up a new line of inquiry for the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, chaired by Labor MP Julian Hill, who issued a statement on Wednesday ordering Margerison to answer questions by 21 July and appear at a committee hearing on 28 July.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton conceded the matter could go to the National Anti-Corruption Commission when he was asked on Wednesday whether Robert had questions to answer.

“They’re questions for the integrity commission,” Dutton said, adding that he expected a “grubby” campaign from Labor in the July 15 by-election to choose a replacement for Robert in the Gold Coast seat of Fadden.

Robert, who resigned from parliament earlier this month, said he did not believe he had ever met Daly and thought it was an “extraordinary abuse of privilege” for the parliamentary committee to release the statement.

“At no time have I ever been paid for any advice or guidance in any form,” he said after the committee released the statement.

“At no time did I lobby to assist any firm in such a manner. I also reiterate that Mr Margerison and Mr Milo have both said publicly that no payments were ever made, nor sought.

“Mr Daly’s submission with zero evidence and wild accusations is rejected in its entirety. [It is] simply not believable and is outrageous.”

Margerison and Milo did not respond to requests for comment.

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said he had asked his department for legal advice on the new evidence and acknowledged there were mandatory obligations on public service chiefs to report concerns about corruption to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has raised questions about his Liberal predecessor’s conduct.Credit: Oscar Colman

“Without prejudging this, we all know what corruption is - it’s an abuse of power,” he said.

“But I’m not here to give legal opinions. Others will determine [that] and I don’t refer that to the specific facts of this matter. It is not business as usual for Australian politicians to seek personal financial advantage out of governmental decisions.”

Daly, whose statement is sworn at risk of perjury charges and who is protected by parliamentary privilege because it has been tabled by a joint parliamentary committee, had an acrimonious separation in 2020 from Xaysavanh.

He makes no allegation – and there is no suggestion from this masthead – that Robert was ever paid by Synergy 360. But Daly alleges the company intended to enrich Robert and that the MP used his influence to assist it and its clients, including government contractors Salesforce, Infosys and Unisys, during a series of meetings between 2017 and 2020.

The period included Robert’s time as a Liberal backbencher and his appointment to the federal ministry in August 2018, and to federal cabinet from May 2019, until the Coalition lost power at last year’s federal election.

“In order to establish the veracity of my statement, I can provide testimonials, emails to verify my statements, commercial and legal artefacts and am fully prepared to cooperate and participate in any National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) hearing, where I would willingly testify under oath to provide further evidence and clarification regarding the matter at hand,” he said.

Daly has alleged that “the meetings involving Stuart Robert” and Synergy 360 “were arranged by David Milo and Kham at various locations, including David’s personal residence … Parliament House, our house … and at John Margerison’s house on the Gold Coast.”

This masthead has previously published the contents of internal Synergy 360 emails, sparking a damning review by former top public servant Dr Ian Watt, who in March called for further investigation into 19 government contracts won by Synergy 360’s clients with a total value of $374 million.

Kham Xaysavanh, a former co-owner of Synergy 360.

In his statement to the federal parliament’s Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, Daly alleged the meetings between Robert and Synergy 360’s clients “were usually scheduled after parliamentary sessions in Canberra, providing an opportunity for clients to engage with Stuart Robert who was then the Minster for Government Services and the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme”.

“This was to enable the attendees to have direct discussions with Stuart Robert about forthcoming tenders and contracts.

“For further context, Kham coordinated these events by contacting Stuart Robert’s personal assistant and clients via text messages. Attendees would gather at David’s house and other locations as what he referred to as ‘supper’.

“Importantly, I was made aware by Kham that Stuart Robert deliberately omitted the majority of these meetings from his parliamentary diary to maintain confidentiality and avoid public awareness.”

Daly also alleged that when one of Synergy 360’s clients, Unisys, queried why the consulting firm was not registered as a lobbyist, Robert was consulted by David Milo.

“Kham informed me that David contacted Stuart Robert to discuss the matter with him directly. Stuart Robert, in turn, expressed his belief that such a collaboration would not be feasible, as it would attract significant public attention to the Synergy 360 business, potentially requiring disclosure of all projects Synergy 360 were currently working on. The agreement was later signed without the use of the term ‘Lobbyist’.”

Leaked emails previously published by this masthead reveal Synergy 360 was telling people “NOT to use the L word!!” when it was advocating for companies seeking major contracts in Canberra.

Milo has previously denied Synergy 360 worked as a lobbying firm.

A senior manager from global tech giant Infosys told the joint committee last week that Synergy 360 had arranged multiple meetings with Robert and that Infosys paid Synergy 360 fees of $16 million for assisting it in connection to some of the country’s biggest government computer projects.

Daly has also alleged that a senior public servant from Services Australia, Damien West, assisted Synergy 360 to win government contracts. One of the contracts scrutinised by Dr Watt was linked to West, who now works for the ACT government and who has previously denied any wrongdoing.

“Throughout 2018-2019, Damien West would frequently visit the family residence … and hold meetings with both Kham and David Milo in the lounge room. These gatherings typically took place on Thursday or Friday evenings after Damien West finished his work for the day. Although I was not included in these discussions, as they would close the lounge room door, Kham later informed me that both she and David were collaborating with Damien West on joint projects.”

Daly’s statement contains allegations of what he claims Kham told him about Robert while Daly was working for Synergy 360, rather than any eyewitness evidence about Robert’s conduct.

In his statement, Daly also dismissed allegations previously made by Milo and Robert that he unlawfully obtained Synergy 360 emails or that their contents were altered.

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