The ICAC has yet to issue its report inOperation Aero,a 2019 inquiry into political fundraising by the NSW Labor Party. Hearings in that inquiry ended almost two years ago,in December that year.
Operation Aero famously featured allegations that a Chinese billionaire and property developer Huang Xiangmodelivered $100,000 in cash in an Aldi plastic bag to then party boss Jamie Clements in 2015,contrary to a ban on political donations from developers. Both men have denied the allegation.
A spokeswoman for the ICAC said on Monday that “the Operation Aero report is under preparation,and will be furnished to Parliament and made public in due course”.
A 2014 inquiry into NSW Liberal Party fundraising during the 2011 state election,Operation Spicer,delivered a final report in 2016. The report was “principally delayed by litigation,legislative changes and the need to ensure that parties were afforded procedural fairness,” the ICAC said in a media release at the time.
On Monday,the ICAC completed its 11-day public hearing in Operation Keppel,its inquiry into Mr Maguire and Ms Berejiklian. The former premier has insisted shedid not believe her secret relationship with Mr Maguire constituted a conflict of interest with her public duties that needed to be disclosed to her ministerial colleagues.
The ICAC will now engage in a process behind closed doors,during which lawyers for the parties file confidential written submissions relating to the watchdog’s potential findings.