NSW Premier Chris Minns Allegedly Linked to 2015 Campaign Donation Irregularities

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns is facing allegations from a former Labor staffer that he was involved in an attempt to funnel unrecorded donations into his 2015 election campaign.

The claims, detailed in an affidavit by former ALP state organiser David Latham, were presented during a closed parliamentary inquiry hearing on November 14. They relate to Mr Minns’s campaign to win the state seat of Kogarah.

According to the affidavit, Mr Minns and his campaign team failed to properly record thousands of dollars raised at a fundraising dinner at Sydney’s Sunny Seafood restaurant in September 2014. The affidavit alleges that Mr Minns then sought advice on how to add the unrecorded cash to his campaign fund.

Greens upper house MP Abigail Boyd, chair of the inquiry, confirmed that the matter has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC), and the state prosecutor’s office. She urged the NSWEC to investigate further and interview additional witnesses.

Mr Minns has strongly rejected the allegations, emphasizing that the matters raised were already investigated by ICAC and the NSWEC, with his staff fully cooperating. A spokeswoman for the premier criticized the inquiry, calling the referral a politically motivated leak aimed at damaging opponents.

The allegations come amid the backdrop of the ALP’s high-profile “Aldi bag of cash” scandal, which involved $100,000 in cash donations linked to Chinese developer Huang Xiangmo. While the Kogarah donations are connected to a similar 2014 fundraising dinner, there is no suggestion that the funds came from improper sources. The affidavit simply claims that proper recording of the donations did not occur.

The NSWEC previously investigated the Kogarah donations between 2019 and 2023 and provided a brief of evidence to the NSW DPP, which has yet to result in criminal proceedings.

David Latham’s affidavit has drawn attention partly because of his past disputes with former NSW Labor general secretary Jamie Clements. Clements, who remains influential in NSW Labor circles, has denied any wrongdoing related to the donations.