A NEW political donations scandal has uncovered relevations a Newcastle company – with ties to Mornington Heights Estate in Gunnedah – contributed $15,000 to Member for Newcastle Tim Owen’s election campaign.
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A Newcastle Herald investigation has brought to light a number of multi-million dollar property developments carried out by the Daracon Group over the past decade, despite founder David Mingay stating publicly earlier this month that his companies were not “developers”.
Three Daracon Group-related companies helped fund Mr Owen’s successful 2011 poll tilt and a fourth gave $5000 to the Liberal Party.
The Wallsend-based business is best known for its civil construction, however, its developments include the 309-lot, seven-stage, residential subdivision in Gunnedah, a $35 million joint development of a Jack Newton residential golf course in the Hunter Valley and a 28-lot light industrial estate.
Developers were banned from supporting NSW political parties in 2009.
NSW Liberal Party state director Tony Nutt has referred the donations to the Election Funding Authority, following inquiries from the Herald.
‘‘My interpretation is that the development side of our business is such a small proportion of our business that I don’t think we – I – would be considered a developer."
- David Mingay, Daracon Group.
Daracon founder David Mingay said he did not consider the business ‘‘a developer’’ under the laws, as the projects accounted for only a ‘‘very minor portion’’ of the group’s $450 million annual turnover.
But Daracon’s general counsel Hugh Thomson ran Mr Owen’s successful election campaign.
Mr Owen said he knew nothing of the donations because he was not involved in the campaign finances.
The Newcastle MP has been placed at the centre of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s inquiry into donations from developers after it was revealed Newcastle company Buildev allegedly channelled money into his campaign without his knowledge.
Mr Owen announced in May he would not recontest his seat because it was “highly likely” that prohibited donors had backed his 2011 campaign, leaving him feeling ‘‘undermined’’ and ‘‘extremely angry’’.
Mr Mingay said he donated to Mr Owen’s campaign because the region had been ‘‘slugged’’ by Labor.
NSW Election Funding Authority records show Daromin Engineering, Paramount Landscaping and Buttai Gravel each gave $5000 on January 10, 2011, to ‘‘Tim Owen’’ and Daracon Engineering declared it donated $5000 to the ‘‘Liberal Party Ncle’’.
The $20,000 was declared by the NSW Liberal Party.
All four companies are owned by Mr Mingay and family members.
It is understood the Mingay family have held land in Gunnedah for more than 30 years.
In November 2006, Daracon Group lodged the development application with Gunnedah Shire Council for the major residential subdivision known as Mornington Heights Estate.
The 309-lot estate was approved in May 2008 and around 90 lots, or almost three stages, have been released.
According to an advertorial published in the Namoi Valley Independent on April 9, 2009, ‘‘Daracon Group saw the need for a lifestyle estate in Gunnedah to fill a growing demand for first-time home buyers, families looking to upgrade to a new home, new families moving into the area and savvy investors’’.
It said ‘‘family-owned business Daracon Group’’ had been planning the project for two years.
According to council records another application for a 28-lot light industrial estate was lodged in November 2011.
The development application was lodged by surveyors Monteath and Powys, with the landowners listed as David and Susan Mingay.
Mr Mingay said the company carried out developments ‘‘every now and again’’ to maintain its 850-strong workforce in between contract work, with about a dozen or so projects undertaken in its 30 year history.
‘‘My interpretation is that the development side of our business is such a small proportion of our business that I don’t think we – I – would be considered a developer,’’ he said.
Under the laws, a developer is a corporation, or person connected to a corporation, that ‘‘regularly’’ makes relevant planning applications, with the aim of selling or leasing the land for profit.