NSW MP Tim Owen admits to lying to ICAC over banned donations
Suspended NSW Liberal MP Tim Owen leaves after giving evidence at the Independent Commision Against Corruption (ICAC) hearing in Sydney yesterday. (AAP)
Beleaguered NSW Liberal MP Tim Owen has admitted lying to the corruption watchdog about returning a wad of $100 notes worth about $10,000 that he received in a car from property developer Jeff McCloy.
Mr Owen told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) yesterday that either his campaign manager Hugh Thomson or former NSW police minister Mike Gallacher arranged the December 2010 deal.
But in sensational evidence today, he said the money was never given back but "rolled into (his) campaign".
Mr Owen and current Newcastle mayor, Councillor McCloy, on Sunday agreed that Mr Owen would tell ICAC he was given about $2,000 by the Newcastle mayor but returned it the next day.
Quoting Mr Owen's evidence from Monday, Cr McCloy's lawyer asked "if the words that follow... 'and then I went back to his house after that and basically dropped the envelope back in his letter box'," were false.
"Yes. It was," the former the deputy commander of the Australian forces in Afghanistan and Iraq said.
"You said 'I think I just put a little note on it that said no thanks', that answer was false," Councillor McCloy's lawyer pressed.
"Correct," Mr Owen said.
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