Slush fund documents prove Premier’s involvement - forensic review must still be undertaken

Thursday 26 November 2020

The release today by the Premier of some of the documents through which she approved $141 million in grants though the Government’s disgraced Stronger Communities program, demonstrate that she has lied to the people of NSW about her role in creating and administering the slush fund.

"However my request to the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet for an independent forensic review of the Department’s records, to find all relevant documents through which the Premier approved funds, has still not been carried out and must now be undertaken," Mayor of Inner West Darcy Byrne said.

"It is entirely possible that copies of the approval documents which the Premier wrote on or signed are still saved on the Department’s server.

"In a written response to my request for forensic investigation, Department Secretary, Tim Reardon, stated that such a forensic review can take place, but only with the Premier’s permission. Please find attached a copy of Mr Reardon’s letter (PDF 142.2KB).

"While the limited documents released today demonstrate beyond doubt that the Premier has lied about her role in this rort, she must now give her Department permission to retrieve all of the documents that her office attempted to destroy."

For media enquiries, contact Bill Hawker, Mayoral Media Officer, 9392 5685 or bill.hawker@innerwest.nsw.gov.au