[Greens-Media] Santos gift to Liberal Scot Macdonald to be referred to ICAC

[Max Phillips]

Jeremy Buckingham MLC
Media Release   1 November 2012

Santos gift to Liberal Scot Macdonald to be referred to ICAC 

Greens mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham will refer NSW Upper House
MP Scot Macdonald to the Independent Commissions Against Corruption
regarding a gift of flights and accommodation he received from gas
company Santos just days after deliberating on the Parliamentary Inquiry
into Coal Seam Gas as part of the Upper House Committee.

Mr Macdonald declared in his pecuniary interest register the Santos
paid trip to Tasmania only days after submitting his dissenting
statement to the NSW Parliamentary Coal Seam Gas Inquiry Report. His
statement concluded: “It is difficult to reach any other conclusion
than the coal seam gas industry should be developed as quickly as
possible”. (p328 http://bitly.com/IjY5fA )

Mr Buckingham said: “We think it’s outrageous that while the
parliament was still considering the Coal Seam Gas Inquiry Report that
he accepted a gift from one of the largest coal seam gas companies,
Santos.”

“The risk is that there will be a public perception that Mr Macdonald
may be unduly influenced by his relationship with Santos and the gift he
has accepted when considering on the inquiry report, as well as
legislation and regulations related to the industry.

“It’s a clear breach of the Parliamentary Code of Conduct, so I
will refer the matter to ICAC to investigate.

“Mr Macdonald has been a brazen booster for the coal seam gas
industry, even holding a forum in his home town of Armidale where he
invited Santos to speak.

“We all know the old Labor Government got too close to the resource
industry.  It seems Barry O’Farrell’s Government is going down the
same path,” said Mr Buckingham.

Contact: Max Phillips 0419 444 916