ICAC opens inquiry into council porn leak
From: AAP
July 15, 2013 1:41PM
THE NSW corruption watchdog will investigate allegations that councillors and a mayor sought to undermine a senior manager's position by leaking that he had accessed pornography on a council computer.
It's part of a wider Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation into the actions of several Ryde councillors, including the federal Labor candidate for Bennelong Jeffery Salvestro-Martin.
In his opening statement on Monday, counsel assisting the inquiry Jason Downing said there was no suggestion City of Ryde general manager John Neish had done anything illegal by accessing porn on a council computer.
The information initially came from an IT worker who, while trying to remove a virus, discovered pornography had been called up on the computer.
Why and how it was made public and the role of former mayor Ivan Petch in the leak will be central to the ICAC inquiry, Mr Downing said.
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"A significant issue will arise as to whether in fact Councillor Petch himself acted appropriately in respect to what was clearly confidential information," Mr Downing said.
"I expect that there will be some evidence to suggest that Councillor Petch in fact deliberately leaked information ... and did so because of personal animosity towards (Mr Neish)."
ICAC is also investigating whether Cr Petch offered Mr Neish a deal of job security for delaying a proposed redevelopment of council land.
Also under investigation is Cr Petch's failure to declare he'd lent $250,000 to John Both, who owned a newspaper in which the council planned to increase its advertising.
ICAC will also examine allegations that six councillors, including Mr Salvestro-Martin, received undisclosed political donations in the form of election advertising.
The hearing is expected to continue for seven to 10 days.
The NSW Labor party branch on Friday recommended Mr Salvestro-Martin be stood down as ALP candidate for Bennelong because of his connection to the ICAC investigation.
On Saturday, Mr Salvestro-Martin said he had "total faith" the party would not sack him without first letting him answer the corruption allegations, which he described as "nonsense, baseless and vile".
Appearing in the witness stand on Monday, Mr Neish said he had a difficult working relationship with Cr Petch.
"I think I once described it as dysfunctional," Mr Neish told ICAC.
