Ian Macdonald (New South Wales politician)

The Honourable
 Ian Macdonald
BA MLC
Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales
In office
19 March 1988 – 7 June 2010
Succeeded by Luke Foley
Minister for Primary Industries
In office
3 May 2004 – 17 November 2009
Preceded by Tony Kelly
Succeeded by Steve Whan
Minister for State and Regional Development
In office
2 April 2007 – 5 June 2010
Preceded by David Campbell
Succeeded by Eric Roozendaal
Minister for Major Events
In office
11 March 2010 – 5 June 2010
Succeeded by Kevin Greene
Minister for Mineral and Forest Resources
In office
3 August 2005 – 5 June 2010
Preceded by Tony Kelly
Succeeded by Paul McLeay
Personal details
Born 7 March 1949
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) Larisa

Ian Michael Macdonald BA MLC (born 7 March 1949), a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1988 to 2010 representing the Australian Labor Party. Between 2003 and 2010, Macdonald held a range of ministerial responsibilities in the Carr, Iemma, Rees, and Keneally ministries.[1]

Contents

Early career and background

Raised as one of five children by his mother in a single parent household,[2] Macdonald graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in history and worked for the Australian Council of Overseas Aid, and a range of Commonwealth and State government agencies before his election to parliament in 1988.[1]

At the time of entering Parliament, he was a farmer near Carcoar in the Central West of New South Wales.[3]

Political career

Elected to the Legislative Council in 1998, Macdonald was appointed Minster for Agriculture and Fisheries in 2003 and then the Primary Industries portfolio and a range of other portfolios in the first and second Iemma and Rees ministries including Natural Resouces, Mineral Resources, State Development, and Energy. However, granted extraordinary powers by Labor State Conference on 17 November 2009, Rees sacked Macdonald (along with others) from the ministry because of Macdonald's efforts to destabilise Rees in his position.[4][5]

Macdonald then played a large part in the sacking of Rees in favour of Keneally. Macdonald was previously a member of the New South Wales Socialist Left faction, but was formally expelled in December 2009 for his role in Rees's downfall. Keneally restored Macdonald to the ministry following her election as Premier, making him the Minister for Major Events, Mineral and Forest Resources, State and Regional Development and Central Coast.

Macdonald was plagued by scandal surrounding a trip to Dubai made in 2008, which led him to resign from the ministry on 4 June 2010[6] on the same day as the resignation of Minister Graham West. Macdonald's Dubai trip was investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption after a government report found he misused public funds.[7]

On 7 June 2010 Macdonald resigned from parliament with immediate effect.[8][9] He was replaced by Luke Foley, the Assistant Deputy Secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party.[10]

ICAC inquiry into alleged corrupt behaviour

In November 2011 the Independent Commission Against Corruption commenced an inquiry that heard allegations that Macdonald, while Minister, accepted sexual favours in return for introducing businessman to executives of state-owned energy companies. It was also alleged that property developer Ron Medich acted as a broker for Macdonald and was seeking to do business with government agencies where Macdonald had influence as a Minister.[11] Appearing before the Commission to defend the allegations, Macdonald claimed that he was under the influence of alcohol and suffering the effects of depression at the time of the alleged incident.[12] The inquiry is ongoing.

References

  1. ^ a b "The Hon. Ian Michael Macdonald, BA(Hons) MLC". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. 9 September 2010. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/d890a06557517cedca256e700008765e/75b5906290a3dd464a25672e0002e1d8?OpenDocument. Retrieved 15 July 2007. 
  2. ^ "Independent Commission Against Corruption Bill (No.2) – Second reading" (pdf). Hansard – extract. Legislative Council of New South Wales. 8 June 1988. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/d890a06557517cedca256e700008765e/75b5906290a3dd464a25672e0002e1d8/$FILE/First%20Speech.Macdonald.pdf. Retrieved 21 May 2011. 
  3. ^ "New Minister for Agriculture". The Country Hour (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 3 April 2003. http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nsw/stories/s823796.htm. Retrieved 21 May 2011. 
  4. ^ "Rees crackdown: ministers axed from NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 November 2009. http://www.smh.com.au/national/rees-crackdown-ministers-axed-from-nsw-cabinet-20091115-ig5u.html. Retrieved 15 November 2009. 
  5. ^ Dinneen, Martin (17 November 2009). "Hornery to Keep Fighting". Newcastle Herald. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/sacked-hornery-to-keep-fighting-for-wallsend-centre/1679041.aspx. Retrieved 20 November 2009. 
  6. ^ Hall, Louise (4 June 2010). "Keneally loses another minister". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/keneally-loses-another-minister-20100604-xkd1.html. Retrieved 7 June 2010. 
  7. ^ "Corruption watchdog to investigate Macdonald's expenses". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 June 2010. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/corruption-watchdog-to-investigate-macdonalds-expenses-20100610-xznx.html. Retrieved 13 June 2010. 
  8. ^ Nicholls, Sean (7 June 2010). "Expenses errors: Macdonald quits NSW parliament". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/expenses-errors-macdonald-quits-nsw-parliament-20100607-xq5m.html. Retrieved 7 June 2010. 
  9. ^ Mitchell, Alex (6 June 2010). "The party was over long before 'Macca' jumped". The Brisbane Times (Fairfax Media). http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/the-party-was-over-long-before-macca-jumped-20100605-xlt1.html#ixzz1R1UirKUq. Retrieved 3 July 2011. 
  10. ^ "Labor announces Macdonald replacement". ABC News (Australia). 10 June 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/09/2922892.htm. Retrieved 14 June 2010. 
  11. ^ Nicholls, Sean; McClymont, Kate (24 November 2011). "Tiffanie and the minister: Macdonald accepted sexual services arranged by Medich, inquiry hears". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/tiffanie-and-the-minister-macdonald-accepted-sexual-services-arranged-by-medich-inquiry-hears-20111124-1nvsb.html. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 
  12. ^ "I couldn't see properly; Macdonald's two bot night with Tiffanie". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 December 2011. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/i-couldnt-see-properly-macdonalds-twobot-night-with-tiffanie-20111202-1oajx.html. Retrieved 2 December 2011.