NSW: ICAC defends MP rort report

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-1998
NSW: ICAC defends MP rort report

By Neil Sands, State Political Correspondent

SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - The states corruption watchdog today denied claims that investigators
were sloppy when compiling a report into rorting by New South Wales MPs.

Parliamentary speaker John Murray claimed not one politician was contacted by Independent
Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) staff compiling the report, which detailed
taxpayer-funded jaunts to holiday destinations and other parliamentary rorts.

Mr Murray, who is responsible for MPs travel, said ICAC investigators were slothful.

An ICAC spokesman said today the claim was wrong and a number of MPs and parliamentary
staff were interviewed.

ICAC commissioner Barry OKeefe regarded political attacks as almost inevitable when MPs
perks were being investigated, he said.

He also accused Mr Murray of inconsistency, saying he had expressed support for the ICACs
recommendations when briefed by Mr OKeefe before the reports release on Tuesday.

"For Mr Murray now to imply that hes rejecting it totally is quite surprising because
thats not what he previously told the commissioner," he said.

The ICAC will grill more than 25 politicians about parliamentary rorts after the March
state election.

The report detailed extensive rorting of MPs entitlements, particularly travel.

It found MPs were using taxpayer-funded travel warrants to reach holiday destinations such
as Great Keppel Island, Lord Howe Island and Hamilton Island.

Coolangatta was the most popular destination for state politicians, with 108 MPs making 333
trips to the Gold Coast resort town between 1990 and 1998.

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