The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption has claimed another Ministerial scalp:
Mike Gallacher has stepped aside as police minister after a corruption inquiry heard he hatched a "corrupt scheme" with Nathan Tinkler's property development group to receive illegal donations.
In a development that will send shockwaves through the Baird government, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard on Friday that Mr Gallacher was intimately involved in setting up a scheme for Buildev to pay tens of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to a Liberal Party slush fund.
Mr Gallacher's barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, said he would stand down as minister during the inquiry.
Losing one Minister to corruption allegations could be called a tragedy; losing more looks like carelessness - and conspiracy.
The problem of course is that this is Australia, and both parties are thoroughly corrupt. And with an unfair voting system, there's no democratic mechanism to correct this and excise the rot.
