Keneally won't stand aside 'accused' MP

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally says she won't stand aside parliamentary secretary
Angela D'Amore, despite allegations the Labor MP has rorted her staff expenses.
In the latest bombshell to rock scandal-hit state Labor, it was announced on
Wednesday that Ms D'Amore was being investigated by the NSW Independent Commission
Against Corruption (ICAC) over allegations she and her staff made false expense
claims.
ICAC will hold public hearings beginning on October 5, and will investigate whether
her office submitted false information to the NSW parliament in relation to the
sitting day relief entitlement.
The alleged breaches occurred between August 29, 2006 and June 29, 2007, ICAC said.
Ms D'Amore - whose brother-in-law is controversial Labor powerbroker Joe Tripodi -
has vowed to "vigorously" defend herself against the claims, saying any breach was
inadvertent.
The premier on Wednesday resisted opposition calls to stand aside the Drummoyne MP
as a parliamentary secretary, saying Ms D'Amore was entitled to "due process".
"I will not seek to influence or pre-empt the ICAC in its processes or inquiries,"
Ms Keneally said in a statement on Wednesday.
"As I have consistently stated, any member of parliament is entitled to a due and
fair process.
"As I have also consistently stated, I expect that any member of parliament, or
indeed any public servant, would cooperate fully with the commission and its
inquiries."
Ms Keneally mounted a similar defence of former Penrith MP Karyn Paluzzano, who
resigned in May following ICAC hearings into allegations that she too had rorted
staff expenses.
The subsequent by-election was a disaster for the government, with Labor losing the
once safe seat after suffering a 25.7 per cent swing.
ICAC has since recommended criminal charges be laid against Ms Paluzzano.
NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell called for Ms D'Amore to be stood aside.
"Ms Keneally requires senior public servants to stand aside during investigations
into their conduct or corruption, and it's time she applied the same standard to her
own Labor team," he said in a statement.
"Despite calls for another parliamentary secretary, Karyn Paluzzano, to be stood
aside during an ICAC inquiry into her office, Ms Keneally failed to do so.
"It's time Ms Keneally learned from her past mistakes and, like public servants, Ms
D'Amore should be stood aside until ICAC has completed its inquiry."
Ms D'Amore, parliamentary secretary for police and climate change and the
environment, has denied any wrongdoing.
"It is my understanding that the commission will be looking at a sitting day relief
policy that was in place for 13 parliamentary sitting weeks between August 2006 and
June 2007," she said in a brief statement.
"The policy no longer exists.
"I state I have not benefited personally or financially from the policy.
"If any breach of that policy has occurred, I say with confidence that it was
inadvertent."