Former NSW MP spruiked as ‘esteemed’ Liberal at campaign event – despite Icac’s ‘serious corrupt conduct’ finding | Liberal party
A former New South Wales minister identified by Icac as being involved in serious corrupt behavior has been hailed as one of the “respected stars of the Liberal party” at an election fundraiser chaired by the state’s opposition leader Kellie Sloane.
John Sidoti, a former Liberal minister and provincial member for Drummoyne who left the party in 2021 amid an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, attended a re-election campaign launch event last week for his successor as an MP and former staffer, Stephanie Di Pasqua.
Last week’s event was run by a staff member in Sloane’s parliamentary office. In the footage watched by Guardian Australia from the opening speeches, staff acknowledged Sidoti’s presence after welcoming state and federal parliamentarians, including Sloane.
“We also have a number of respected figures in the Liberal party, most notably our former member for Drummoyne, John Sidoti – thank you for coming this evening, John,” they said. he said, drawing applause and cheers.
Icac in 2022, Sidoti engaged in “serious corrupt conduct” to benefit from his family’s property interests.
Under Sloane’s leadership, the NSW opposition has come under fire for a perceived lack of support for the corruption watchdog, which has investigated several Liberal leaders and members, including former premier Gladys Berejiklian, prompting Sloane’s resignation in 2021.
Former Liberal prime minister Barry O’Farrell, who resigned in 2014 after admitting he misled Icac. criticized the coalition After opposing a bill that would give Icac permanent powers to use illegal recordings of conversations in its investigations.
Sloane told parliament last month that he wanted the watchdog to “exercise the full range of its investigative powers in carrying out its current investigations” but had proposed a system of arrest warrants that was not supported by the Minns government. The coalition ultimately backed down and supported passage of the bill.
A spokesman for Sloane said he “attended the fundraising event organized by the NSW Liberal Party with approximately 130 attendees and a number of VIP guests.”
“Ms. Sloane was not informed of Mr. Sidoti’s attendance prior to her arrival at the event.”
The Drummoyne event was attended by NSW deputy leader Natalie Ward and shadow ministers Tim James and Chris Rath, as well as federal senator and opposition deputy Jessica Collins.
Sidoti told Guardian Australia that as a former local member, he “arrived” without a ticket and knew the venue’s owners, Aqua Luna. He said he planned to stay there for 10-15 minutes but was asked to stay there for the speeches. “My name was also mentioned in the conversations,” he said.
He said he had been at the event for about an hour and was “pleasantly surprised” by the response he received from other attendees.
Sidoti said he spoke briefly with Sloane: “I wished him good luck in the next election.”
The former Liberal member, after serving as sports minister in 2019, stood aside during an Icac investigation into allegations that he used his parliamentary role to influence Liberal Canada City Bay councilors over various properties in Five Dock between late 2013 and early 2017.
The watchdog recommended the director of public prosecutions consider charging Sidoti with abuse of public office.
Sidoti resigned from the Liberal party join crossbench He maintained his innocence when public hearings were announced. The DPP has not yet filed a case against him.
“I’m waiting for my day in court,” he told Guardian Australia, saying Icac was a “non-judicial institution”. Icac corruption findings, which are not legally binding, can be challenged on limited procedural grounds through a process known as judicial review. Berejiklian lost an appeal against the corruption finding in 2024.
“I’m sorry to call myself an Australian because you don’t have the presumption of innocence and the rule of law,” he said. “The system is broken.”
Despite calls from then-prime minister Dominic Perrottet for him to resign, Sidoti remained MP for Drummoyne until 2023, when he did not seek re-election. Di Pasqua, deputy mayor of Canada Bay and Sidoti’s former electorate, won the seat. He refused to comment.
Sidoti said he rejoined the Liberal party “about two years ago” after leaving parliament but did not donate anything beyond his membership fee.
The Drummoyne incident comes less than a year after the March 2027 election, as the Liberals reportedly face fundraising difficulties.
Tickets for the three-course dinner ranged from $220 for an individual registration to $2,000 for a table of 10. VIP tickets were $500 for seats at a table with Sloane and the shadow ministers.
A spokesman for the NSW Liberals said Sidoti was not on the list of registered participants at last week’s event.
Sloane and the NSW Liberals did not respond to questions about the appropriateness of Sidoti’s involvement.
