ACCUSATIONS: Jeremy Buckingham
A NSW MP being referred to the state's corruption watchdog denies any conflict of interest over accepting a trip from a gas company while considering coal seam gas laws.
Liberal MP Scot MacDonald's flights and accommodation for the National Conference of Vegetable Farmers in Tasmania were paid for by gas company Santos.
That happened days after he spoke in favour of expanding NSW's coal seam gas (CSG) industry during a parliamentary inquiry, Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham said.
He plans to refer Mr MacDonald to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Mr Buckingham claims Mr MacDonald breached the parliamentary code of conduct by receiving a gift from Santos while considering legislation and regulations for the gas industry. Mr MacDonald declared the trip in his pecuniary interest register.
Yesterday he rejected Mr Buckingham's claim, saying he had complied with parliamentary guidelines.
"I was quite open about attending the conference," he said in a statement.
"It's a shame Mr Buckingham would prefer to try and personally smear me, rather than engage in serious debate on coal seam gas."
Mr MacDonald said he often spoke about the importance of CSG for industry and households in NSW.
Mr Buckingham yesterday broke the Greens' boycott of controversial broadcaster Alan Jones's 2GB breakfast show to criticise Mr MacDonald on air.
He said Mr MacDonald had been "appalling in his one-eyed approach" to CSG.
"He has been the most vocal advocate for the coal seam gas industry I would say just about anywhere in Australia," he said.
On October 2, Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said her party would no longer appear on Jones's program after he said Prime Minister Julia Gillard's father had "died of shame" because of her "lies".