The NSW Electoral Commission has reopened an investigation into allegations linked to a decade-old political donations scandal involving NSW Premier Chris Minns.
The investigation relates to a 2014 fundraiser connected to Minns’ campaign for the Sydney seat of Kogarah. Former NSW Labor staffer David Latham alleged in evidence to a parliamentary inquiry that Minns contacted him after the event seeking advice about cash donations that had allegedly not been properly receipted or documented.
According to an affidavit, Latham alleged Minns said: “We received a bunch of cash and the team did not collect forms or receipt it properly.” Latham further alleged Minns asked: “Do you know how we might be able to get it in?”
The allegations were first raised during a closed parliamentary inquiry hearing last year by Greens MP Abigail Boyd and independent Mark Latham (no relation to David Latham).
The fundraiser was reportedly held at Sunny Seafood restaurant in Hurstville in September 2014. Official declarations reportedly stated the event raised less than $6,000 from 10 donors. However, reporting later cited a Chinese-language newspaper article describing the dinner as attracting almost 200 supporters.
The NSW Electoral Commission had previously examined the matter before closing the investigation in 2023. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the watchdog has now reopened inquiries and is conducting interviews regarding the allegations.
Minns has denied wrongdoing, and accused the committee members of maliciously “drip feeding” information for “political attacks”. Speaking this week, he said he had “never asked anyone to break the law” and rejected claims he made a secret phone call about undeclared donations.
“I was never investigated by ICAC, wasn’t aware of the circumstances relating to those false donors to the NSW Labor Party in 2015 or the Kogarah campaign, and we fully and completely complied with their investigation of that campaign years ago,” he said.
A spokesperson for the premier said the matter had “already been fully and comprehensively investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the NSW Electoral Commission”.
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