I’ve been watching the evidence come out in relation to Federal Senator Arthur Sinodinos at the hearings at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) over the last few days and one thing is for certain and that is Mr Sinodinos’s political career is over.
Mr Sinodinos has stepped aside from his front bench position today until the end of the ICAC corruption inquiry.
In some regards it seems very similar to what is happening with Cardinal George Pell at the Royal Commission into child abuse. There they have had numerous witness’s over the last few days point the finger at Mr Pell in preparation for Mr Pell’s turn in the witness box next Monday. I am sure Georgie boy is starting to sweat.
Even the church’s own lawyer Peter McCann from the law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth nailed Pell when he said from the witness box “Mr McCann told the Commission he had no doubt the instructions he received through Cardinal Pell’s private secretary, Dr Michael Casey, came from the Cardinal himself.” (Click here to read more) If Pell was a politician he would have been gone a long time ago. What does the church do? They promote him to the Vatican in Rome and he will be gone not long after next Monday.
Now back to Mr Sinodinos as he too is due to hop in the witness box sometime in the hear future at the ICAC. Some of the current evidence against Mr Sinodinos is very damaging at the very least:
“A company linked to the Obeid family with high-profile Liberal Party figures on its board gouged millions of dollars from the state-owned Sydney Water, including for limousines and political donations, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard on Tuesday.”
“Assistant Federal Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos was on the board of the Obeid-linked infrastructure company Australian Water Holdings when it was stonewalling attempts by Sydney Water to inspect its books.”
and: “Senator Sinodinos’ $200,000 salary and bonuses were also allegedly covered by Sydney Water.” (Click here to read more)
And it gets worse as there evidence before ICAC that Mr Sinodinos could have made $20 million if he could help further facilitate the corruption.
“While a Liberal Party executive, Sinodinos was given a 5 per cent share in AWH at no cost. He was to be rewarded with another 2.5 per cent if the soon-to-be- elected NSW Liberal government approved the PPP proposal. This would have made Sinodinos up to $20 million richer.” (Click her to read more)
It is certain that more damaging and incriminating evidence will be made public either before Mr Sinodinos hops in the witness box or when he does. That is why he had to go now. It is a very similar situation to George Pell as far as their time being up is concerned and the way the evidence is coming out, bit by bit until they bite the dust. Both Sinodinos and Pell were potentially very damaging to Tony Abbott as well if you recall my post on Pell and Abbott.
The Labor Party demanded that Arthur Sinodinos either make a statement to the Senate or stand aside from his front bench position of Assistant Treasurer which Mr Sinodinos has done. The Labor Party were right in making that demand but it is not lost on me that the leader of the Labor Party, Bill Shorten who is currently being investigated for rape by the Victoria police, will not make a statement or stand aside.
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