Hay Tops Gift List

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday September 4, 2008

By MARIO CHRISTODOULOU

WOLLONGONG MP Noreen Hay has again topped the list of political fund-raisers in NSW, raking in more than $90,000 in 13 months.

It may be years before the next government election but Ms Hay still managed to raise $20,000 more than any of the Government's ministers, and $70,000 more than any other Illawarra MP.

Ms Hay is one of the Labor Party's biggest earners, managing to raise $230,000 from 170 donors in the lead-up to the 2007 state election.

She came under fire in May when the NSW Election Funding Authority referred her to the Crown Solicitors Office for failing to declare donations totalling $120,000. At the time she blamed ALP head office for mixing up the numbers.

Yesterday's declaration revealed her donors came from a range of development and construction companies across the region, including Wideform and developer Huntley Heritage - which is behind the proposed billion-dollar Huntley Golf Course at West Dapto. The largest single contribution ($14,800) came from Fairy Meadow doctor Andrew Malouf.

Ms Hay's donations tally was due in part to two fund-raisers held at the Lagoon Restaurant in July and November last year.

Other MPs from the Illawarra raised considerably lower amounts, with Member for Keira David Campbell raising almost $18,000 and Member for Kiama Matt Brown accumulating more than $14,000.

Member for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon raised $866, while Heathcote MP Paul McLeay accumulated no political funds.

Ms Hay would not say what the money would be spent on or why the amount was so high.

In a statement she said she had complied with all existing regulations and welcomed political reform, while supporting further tightening of funding disclosure laws.

"I welcomed the Premier's announcement in February this year of sweeping reforms to the laws governing political donations and expenditure in NSW," she said.

State and local government representatives have been forced to declare their donations since the first round of political funding laws were introduced early this year.

Wollongong City Council's corruption scandal provided much of the momentum for the reforms which led to the changes, which make it compulsory for all Members of Parliament, registered political parties and elected councillors to lodge declarations to the election funding authority.

A false statement can incur a $22,000 penalty or 12 months' imprisonment.

Greens MP Sylvia Hale has long been a staunch supporter of tighter funding laws.

She said the lessons of Wollongong's corruption scandal had not been learnt.

Her calls have been echoed by the Urban Taskforce Australia, a peak developer representative body.

Chief executive Aaron Gadiel said he supported a complete ban.

"Taxpayers should fund the activities of political parties ... This would allow for a total national ban on all donations from anyone to all political parties in local, state and federal elections," he said.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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