ICAC brought into McGurk bribery scandal

The NSW corruption watchdog is examining the political scandal which has erupted
since the murder of Sydney businessman Michael McGurk, who claimed to have taped
evidence of Labor's involvement in bribery.
Police on Monday provided unspecified evidence to the Independent Commission Against
Corruption (ICAC), prompting it to launch a "preliminary investigation" into the
matter.
With the opposition pushing for a parliamentary inquiry, NSW Premier Nathan Rees
said ICAC and the police were the most appropriate bodies to examine reports Mr
McGurk had a recording revealing corruption by high level Labor officials or MPs in
NSW.
However, new allegations that a police officer was being paid by a businessman to
frame Mr McGurk have since been aired on the Seven Network.
It reported Mr McGurk went to Surry Hills police station on the day of his death to
make a formal complaint about the officer, who then learned of the complaint and
asked the businessman to "take care of matters".
Police are yet to respond to the claims.
Mr McGurk was shot dead in front of his young son as they returned to their Cremorne
home on Thursday evening.
Friend and fellow businessman Jim Byrnes said Mr McGurk told him the tape proved
state government MPs were corrupt but Mr Byrne said he had refused to listen to it.
Former Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson said he had heard the tape, but described
it as a poor quality recording of a conversation between Mr McGurk and developer Ron
Medich that contained no audible allegations against politicians.
"If there is a recording and it contains material alleging wrongdoing by any public
officials or any other person, that is to be referred to the state's corruption
commission," Mr Rees told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
"If this matter is under investigation by the NSW police or the ICAC, that's the
most appropriate place for it to be examined and assessed."
Former NSW minister Craig Knowles has denied any connection to Mr McGurk after
Fairfax newspapers claimed the murdered businessman was approached to be the
middleman in an $8 million bid for a western Sydney A-League soccer team.
Mr Knowles is the chairman of the team but said he has had no dealings with Mr McGurk.
"I have never met and had never heard of Mr McGurk until recent media reports of his
death," he said in a statement to the ABC.
Despite ICAC's involvement, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell remained hopeful
of securing minor party support for an upper house parliamentary inquiry into the
corruption allegations and the state's planning laws.
Mr O'Farrell said the inquiry needed to examine the sale of former CSIRO land at
Badgerys Creek to Mr Medich, a former business associate of Mr McGurk.
He said parliamentary inquiries and ICAC investigations had run concurrently in the
past.
"There is a need here for a parliamentary inquiry into issues surrounding this
affair, issues that hinge on the Planning Act ... which is a proper responsibility
of the NSW parliament," Mr O'Farrell told reporters.
"We need the police investigation into the homicide, we need a full inquiry into the
corruption allegations but there are other issues, centring around the way in which
our planning system operates, that need to be reviewed."
A parliamentary inquiry has the support of the Greens, but the two Shooters' Party
MPs and Christian Democrat MP Fred Nile are reluctant to support it until the ICAC
and police investigations are complete.
Police would not comment on the nature of their discussions with ICAC commissioner
Jerrold Cripps, nor would they confirm reports a copy of the contentious tape had
been given to ICAC.
NSW detectives are continuing their investigations into Mr McGurk's murder, and
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus said "nothing had been referred to
the AFP".
Last week, Mr Medich issued a statement saying he had amicably settled a business
dispute with Mr McGurk and extended sympathy to his family.
"Mr McGurk's murder is tragic and Mr Medich's sympathy goes out to his wife and
children," the statement said.