A Central Coast builder has told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that he was duped into making a hidden donation to the Liberal Party.
Matthew Lusted donated $5,000 to the Liberals in 2011 at the request of Ray Carter, an assistant to former NSW energy minister Chris Hartcher, the inquiry heard.
Mr Hartcher and two other Central Coast Liberal MPs are being investigated by ICAC for allegedly receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal political donations through a company called Eightbyfive.
It is alleged that property developers, banned from giving political donations in NSW, are among those who contributed to Eightbyfive.
This morning, Mr Lusted told the inquiry he discovered his donation had been made in the form of an invoice to the company, and that Mr Carter later told him not to declare it to the Electoral Funding Authority.
Mr Lusted, who claimed to have "never heard of Eightbyfive", said he was assured by Mr Carter that "no one's going to find out anything, you've got nothing to worry about".
"He said it would be taken care of at his end. That's when I realised something stunk," Mr Lusted said.
He said he took his concerns to Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan, who reported it to the party.
Lusted denies 'sour grapes' over failed preselectionMr Lusted denied that his appearance at ICAC suggested "sour grapes" at a failed bid for Liberal preselection in the seat of Dobell before the last federal election.
He said then-opposition leader Tony Abbott had urged him to seek preselection during a chance meeting at a restaurant in early 2011.
"Some say your role here represents sour grapes," counsel assisting ICAC Geoffrey Watson put to him.
Mr Lusted replied: "I've heard that said."
"Is it true?" Mr Watson asked.
"It's not correct," came the reply.
Business owner admits drawing up fake invoicesThe owner of a business that was allegedly being used as a Liberal Party slush fund has admitted to ICAC that he drew up fake invoices.
Ekarin Sriwattanaporn identified himself to the inquiry as the partner of Ray Carter.
The inquiry heard that a business registered under Mr Ekarin's name, Micky-Tech, was being used to hide payments to the Liberal Party from banned developers.
The company invoiced several parties including developers Roy Sergi and Angelo Maggiotto for IT services.
But under questioning from Counsel Assisting Geoffrey Watson, Mr Ekarin admitted no work had ever been perform.
When asked why he had drawn up the invoices, Mr Ekarin told the inquiry that Mr Carter had asked him to.
The inquiry heard there was evidence that there was no money left in Micky-Tech's bank account, but Mr Ekarin said he did not know what had happened to it.
The inquiry continues.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/23058784/icac-nsw-builder-tells-inquiry-into-party-donations-something-stunk-about-payments-to-eightbyfive/
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