The Independent Commission Against Corruption has been asked to investigate a claim by former Nationals candidate for Orange Yvette Quinn that she was offered a ‘government job’ to resign.
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Shooters Party MLC Robert Borsak has written to ICAC after reading the claim in the Central Western Daily this week.
Mr Borsak said he was “extremely concerned about the revelations” by Ms Quinn.
“The article refers to Mr Rick Colless MLC offering Ms Quinn a ‘government job’ and a financial inducement to resign as the Nationals candidate for Orange,” he said.
“The claims of a government job offer need to be fully investigated by the Commission for any impropriety or corrupt conduct.”
Mr Borsak said NSW voters needed to know information about the nature of the job offer and financial inducement, who gave the authority for the job offer to be made, was NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro involved and did Premier Gladys Berejiklian have any knowledge or involvement in the matter.
The claims of a government job offer need to be fully investigated by the Commission for any impropriety or corrupt conduct.
- Robert Borsak, Shooters Party MLC
Ms Quinn won preselection in June but said by September she was encouraged to resign by Mr Colless, the parliamentary secretary for NSW and former senator Fiona Nash.
She said Mr Colless told her concerns over her candidacy were coming from “higher up in the party leadership.”
Mr Colless told the Sydney Morning Herald he ‘did not recall’ that specific conversation.
He said a suggestion he had offered inducements for Ms Quinn to quit was “completely false and said the employment discussion was ‘broad’ with ‘no job offer made’.”
“She admitted that she was struggling in Orange, so we discussed with her what her options were going forward,” he said.
“What was discussed was that if she still wanted to a career in politics, and she resigned, we might be able to find her a job within the party political system, such as member’s office or a minister’s office.”
Ms Nash told the Sydney Morning Herald she called and met with Ms Quinn to discuss her candidacy, but said it was “not with the intent” to encourage her to quit.
“I asked if she had considered exactly what the job entailed and whether she still thought the job was for her. And if she determined that it was, I’d be more than happy to her in the campaign,” Ms Nash said.
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