Read ABC News: Allegations NSW premier Chris Minns took thousands of dollars from unnamed donors a decade ago referred to ICAC by Dylan Welch

Former ALP state organiser David Latham has tendered an affidavit to a secret parliamentary inquiry, on 14 November 2025, alleging that Chris Minns and his staff allegedly failed to keep records for donations received and to funnel illegal donations into the ALP coffers for the 2015 state election. The head of the parliamentary inquiry, Greens MLC Abigail Boyd has referred the allegation to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) and the state prosecutor’s office.

The allegation is that in September 2014, Mr Minns, then Labor’s candidate for the seat of Kogarah, accrued thousands of dollars in campaign donations at a fundraising dinner at the Sunny Seafood restaurant. However, he and his campaign staff failed to keep a record of the money’s sources. There is no suggestion that the donations came from improper sources. However, the affidavit alleges there was a failure to record its provenance and then a desire on behalf of Mr Minns to use the money for the campaign anyway.

Donations to political candidates must record the donor in order to ensure that vested interests do not undermine democracy.

Timeline

September 12, 2014: ICAC Operation Aero canvassed donation irreguläres in Kogarah donations that arose from a “Chinese engagement dinner” at Sunny Seafood Restaurant.

March 2015: Scandal regarding $100,000 in donations given to the NSW Labor party at a fundraising dinner organised by ALP group, Chinese Friends of Labor.

Post 2015 NSW Election: ICAC outlined that thousands of dollars in donations were received ahead of or during the Kogarah election campaign and were signed by some of the same people identified as straw donors in the Operation Aero investigation.


Early 2016: Mr Clements stepped down as NSW Labor general secretary but remained an influential figure in NSW Labor circles following a conviction that he had improperly accessed the electoral roll to assist a controversial union boss.

Late 2018: ICAC raided NSW Labor’s Sussex Street headquarters.

Late 2018: The ABC revealed that the ICAC investigation, dubbed Operation Aero, concerned allegations that the people who said they gave the money were actually fronts for Mr Huang.

2019: Public ICAC inquiry revealed the $100,000, far from being legitimately donated on the night by a group of Chinese Australian businesspeople, was actually given months later as cash in a plastic Aldi shopping bag and that it was allegedly handed over at NSW party headquarters to then NSW general secretary Jamie Clements from by Mr Huang. Mr Clements denied the allegation during evidence before ICAC.


Late 2019: After Operation Aero’s public hearings concluded, the NSWEC commenced an investigation into the Kogarah donations. That investigation ran until 2023 and interviewed Mr Minns.

Feb 2022: Chris Minns expressed concern about the ICAC report saying “It’s a very tough and troubling report for Labor” . Operation Aero was also investigating irregularities in Kogarah where Minns was MP

26 November 2025