Community group Lock the Gate Alliance has today called for the NSW Government to refer mining corruption allegations from a whistleblower with the NSW Department of Planning to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The Newcastle Herald reported this morning a former manager with the Department of Planning had alleged that:
1. Mining industry payments had been made directly to a department employee's personal credit card
2. Confidential information had been leaked to the mining industry
3. There were serious conflicts of interest between department staff and the mining industry
4. Mining files were being modified by departmental staff working on mining titles
Carmel Flint from Lock the Gate Alliance said: “Reports today about alleged corruption in relation to the administration of mining in NSW need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“These are incredibly serious allegations which severely affect community confidence in the NSW Government and their management of mining in NSW.
“We’re calling for the NSW Government to immediately refer the matter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“If the Government does not refer this matter, we will consider referring it to the Commission ourselves.
“We’d like to see the processing of mining approvals and titles in NSW suspended until this matter has been fully addressed and the allegations investigated in detail” she said.