Latest news with #IndependentCommissionAgainstCorruption
The Age
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Age
Plans for school in booming suburb ditched, despite $20 million already spent
The state government has ditched plans to build a second public school in a booming western Sydney suburb, despite already having spent $20 million on the project. The former Coalition government announced plans to build a second public school in Westmead in 2018. But visions for the school regularly shifted at the hands of School Infrastructure NSW, and was referred to as a 'problem site' at a recent Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry. After questions from the Herald about an additional $953,000 for 'Westmead school projects' in this year's budget, the state government this week confirmed it had abandoned trying to find a location for the school. Instead, it will spend that money upgrading and expanding existing primary schools at Westmead and nearby Rydalmere, Rydalmere East and Ermington West. The government is also investigating sites for new high schools in Westmead and Rydalmere, said Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos. 'The Minns Labor government is drawing a line under two grossly flawed proposals put forward by the former Liberal-National government that they announced without adequate planning or due diligence, with potentially disastrous results,' she said in a statement, describing the plans as 'nothing more than a media announcement' with 'no plan to ever deliver'. Loading 'We know that there will be future population growth in these areas, and we are committed to building new schools to meet the long-term needs of local families with site selection work well under way.' Numbers from this year's budget show an estimated $20,485,000 has been spent on the project since its inception, a figure which includes some land acquisition.
Sydney Morning Herald
16 hours ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Plans for school in booming suburb ditched, despite $20 million already spent
The state government has ditched plans to build a second public school in a booming western Sydney suburb, despite already having spent $20 million on the project. The former Coalition government announced plans to build a second public school in Westmead in 2018. But visions for the school regularly shifted at the hands of School Infrastructure NSW, and was referred to as a 'problem site' at a recent Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry. After questions from the Herald about an additional $953,000 for 'Westmead school projects' in this year's budget, the state government this week confirmed it had abandoned trying to find a location for the school. Instead, it will spend that money upgrading and expanding existing primary schools at Westmead and nearby Rydalmere, Rydalmere East and Ermington West. The government is also investigating sites for new high schools in Westmead and Rydalmere, said Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos. 'The Minns Labor government is drawing a line under two grossly flawed proposals put forward by the former Liberal-National government that they announced without adequate planning or due diligence, with potentially disastrous results,' she said in a statement, describing the plans as 'nothing more than a media announcement' with 'no plan to ever deliver'. Loading 'We know that there will be future population growth in these areas, and we are committed to building new schools to meet the long-term needs of local families with site selection work well under way.' Numbers from this year's budget show an estimated $20,485,000 has been spent on the project since its inception, a figure which includes some land acquisition.
The Age
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading corruption watchdog
Former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving misleading evidence to the corruption watchdog about benefits he expected to receive from the potential sale of a multimillion-dollar Sydney property. Maguire, the former member for Wagga Wagga, provided evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption as it investigated Canterbury City Council in 2018. He was found guilty on Friday morning. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment. A recorded phone call and a wiretap were key pieces of evidence in Maguire's trial, which took place in February and May this year. Loading Maguire was captured speaking to then-Canterbury councillor Michael Hawatt about the potential sale of a 300-unit site in Campsie for Chinese company Country Garden to buy and develop in May 2016. In the call, Maguire told Hawatt he 'need[ed] a few things to feed my friends', and said that they wanted '30 projects rolling'. 'My client is mega-big and got mega-money,' Maguire said. 'What's he going to give you to sell it?' Maguire asked.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading corruption watchdog
Former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving misleading evidence to the corruption watchdog about benefits he expected to receive from the potential sale of a multimillion-dollar Sydney property. Maguire, the former member for Wagga Wagga, provided evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption as it investigated Canterbury City Council in 2018. He was found guilty on Friday morning. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment. A recorded phone call and a wiretap were key pieces of evidence in Maguire's trial, which took place in February and May this year. Loading Maguire was captured speaking to then-Canterbury councillor Michael Hawatt about the potential sale of a 300-unit site in Campsie for Chinese company Country Garden to buy and develop in May 2016. In the call, Maguire told Hawatt he 'need[ed] a few things to feed my friends', and said that they wanted '30 projects rolling'. 'My client is mega-big and got mega-money,' Maguire said. 'What's he going to give you to sell it?' Maguire asked.
HKFP
11-06-2025
- HKFP
Anti-corruption watchdog charges ex-lecturer who allegedly solicited HK$20,000 bribe from student
A former part-time lecturer at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong has been charged by the city's anti-corruption watchdog over alleged bribery. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged Tony Ng Shui-ting, 68, with one count of agent accepting an advantage on Monday, according to a Tuesday ICAC press release. 'The charge alleges that on December 10, 2024, the defendant accepted HK$20,000 from a student for securing a passing grade for the student's final year project,' the ICAC said. At the time, Ng was responsible for supervising final year projects for the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering programme at the vocational college in Chai Wan. 'Promised to give a passing grade' 'The ICAC had received a corruption complaint alleging that the defendant, starting from November 2024, had told the student on various occasions that he would not give a passing grade to the student in regard of the final year project. The defendant subsequently solicited a bribe from the student and promised to give a passing grade to the student's final year project,' the press release said. Those who are convicted of contravening section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance face a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and a fine of HK$500,000. Ng was released on bail and will appear at Eastern Magistrates' Courts on Wednesday.
