Rumour mills & ICAC

Money speaks is the message we should be taking from the last few weeks of state politics in NSW. Inappropriate and undeclared financial dealings and interests are being found at every level of Australia politics. The parliamentary parties are riddled with factions, controlled by powerbrokers who promote the careers of their own base of loyal supporters. This undemocratic concentration of power leaves the parties unable to resist corruption.

AROUND 500 years ago in Spain, crowds would assemble and wait for a horse drawn carriage containing so-called heretics due to appear before a state-appointed inquisitor. The heretics were held inside a cage and hauled at low speed so that onlookers could hurl rotten fruit and abuse at the mostly innocent poor souls.

Here in NSW, we are slightly more civilised. We refer to our heretics as persons of interest (POI). Instead of a cage, we make them perform a walk of shame along Castlereagh Street before entering the inquisition chamber, now called ICAC.

 Reality politics better than reality TV


Mr Watson said some donations under scrutiny were "merely an attempt to buy access to politicians, and the size of their donation is no more than [the donor's] best guess at the price to purchase a politician's attention".

ICAC hearsChris Hartcher corruption claims as Liberal MP Marie Ficarra steps aside

Nathan Tinkler and Harry Triguboff are among property developers who stand accused of using Liberal party slush funds to sidestep the ban on property developers making political donations, The Australian Financial Review reports.

In April 2013, ICAC contacted Patinack Farm about the dealings, causing a flurry of text messages between Mr Tinkler's business associates...

Nathan Tinkler 

FORMER NSW resources ­minister Chris Hartcher travelled to South Korea with then Liberal Party fundraiser and lobbyist Nick Di Girolamo to meet the chief executive of ­Korean miner Kores to discuss the development of a controversial $800 million coalmine on the state’s central coast.

Asked about why Mr Lee had stepped down from his position and returned to Seoul, a company spokesman said: “Mr JK Lee ­returned to Seoul last November under the normal three-year ­rotation for expatriate Kores ­directors.

“Mr Lee is currently acting vice-president of human resources for Kores based in Seoul.”

 Korea

Henderson said McClymont was 'confused' while the journalist accused Henderson of not knowing all the facts around the story. Gerard Henderson Kate Mcclymont clash

Art is of the world, and poets are some of the best rumor-spreaders. Why immortalize gossip in poetry? Because we are curious ... The news of Jozef imrich's Death not exaggerated?