Face of Nation : Suspended NSW Labor boss Kaila Murnain is set to return to the Independent Commission Against Corruption witness box after explosive testimony in last week’s hearings all but ended her political career.
ICAC on Monday heard from former NSW MP Ernest Wong that Mr Huang had volunteered to deliver a bag of cash raised at the event to Labor head office.
The ICAC inquiry is examining whether Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo – now banned from Australia – was the true source of $100,000 said to be donated by 12 people from a 2015 Chinese Friends of Labor dinner.
It is expected on Tuesday to again hear from Ms Murnain, who last week told the inquiry Mr Wong was “distressed and agitated” when he told her in September 2016 that a supposed ALP donor had not donated, and the money had in fact come from Mr Huang.
As a property developer, Mr Huang was prohibited by law from making donations to NSW political parties. After getting advice from former Labor senator Sam Dastyari, Ms Murnain said she saw party lawyer Ian Robertson, who allegedly advised her to “forget the conversation happened” and not tell authorities.
Ms Murnain, who took the top job in 2016, tearfully said she was scared for the ALP after hearing Mr Huang had made the donation.
She said she was doing her best to make sure she followed legal advice. “I obviously recognise now that’s something I shouldn’t have done and I should have made different decisions,” Ms Murnain said.
She was suspended from the top job after her first day of evidence on Wednesday and Labor leader Jodi McKay on Thursday said she would never stand as a party candidate or return to her role.
The inquiry will also hear more from Mr Wong, who was asked by ICAC counsel on Monday if he was “making this all up” as he spoke. Mr Wong has been accused during his evidence of selling seats on the dinner’s head table – with then-federal and state Labor leaders Bill Shorten and Luke Foley – to Mr Huang for $100,000.
