Corruption agency probed independent MP Rob Oakeshott

[mellie]

THE most intriguing Federal Parliament in generations will open tomorrow amid revelations one of its kingmakers was investigated by corruption fighters.

Rob Oakeshott, the Independent MP pushing for a squeaky clean Parliament, was investigated by the NSW corruption agency over claims that he forged his wife's signature.

An investigation by The Courier-Mail also reveals Mr Oakeshott - whose vote ensured Julia Gillard became PM - was counselled over the allegedly fraudulent activity by the Clerk of the NSW Parliament.

He was also forced to pay $10,000 to his former electorate officer Anne Kaye after she sued him for unfair dismissal.

The man seeking a new era in parliamentary accountability also failed to disclose a personal conflict of interest when he launched a ferocious attack on Australia's highest paid public servant, Dr Stephen Gumley. Mr Oakeshott relentlessly pursued the case of Jane Wolfe, a former senior bureaucrat who was sacked - and later reinstated - from her job at the Defence Materiel Organisation.

The Independent MP failed to declare he was a friend of Ms Wolfe - and that his sister, Jane Oakeshott, helped her get the highly-paid Defence job. Grahame Morris, former chief of staff to John Howard, confirmed Ms Wolfe was a "friend of mine - and a friend of Mr Oakeshott and his sister, Jane".

The explosive revelations come as federal MPs prepare to fly to Canberra for the first sitting of Parliament since Mr Oakeshott gave his vote to Ms Gillard, allowing her to form a minority government.

Mr Oakeshott decided not to run for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives after meetings with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigated Mr Oakeshott - then a state MP - in 2000 following allegations raised by his former electorate officer.

A secret ICAC interview, obtained by The Courier-Mail, includes allegations by Ms Kaye that Mr Oakeshott forged the signature of his wife, Sarah Jane Morris, when she did temporary work in his office.

While ICAC did not lay charges, the Clerk of the NSW Parliament, Russell Grove, told the then Nationals MP his alleged behaviour amounted to fraud and was highly inappropriate.

Ms Kaye - who declined to speak to The Courier-Mail - also took Mr Oakeshott to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission over an unfair dismissal case. The matter was resolved out of court, with Ms Kaye receiving $10,000 after she agreed to sign a strict confidentiality agreement.

Mr Oakeshott said yesterday he could "confirm all matters were resolved at the time - 11 years ago". He said the allegations of corruption were "unfounded under the ICAC Act".

In further embarrassing revelations, the man who is crusading for greater accountability failed to declare a personal interest when he grilled Dr Gumley about the botched sacking of a senior official during a parliamentary hearing.

Mr Oakeshott produced a minority report - in June this year - and asked a number of questions on notice about the attempt to sack senior DMO officer Ms Wolfe after just a few months in the job.

Dr Gumley was forced to reinstate Ms Wolfe after the Federal Court ruled her dismissal had been unlawful.

Not once throughout his campaign did Mr Oakeshott mention his sister Jane was a close friend of Ms Wolfe and that she worked for Watermark Search International, the head-hunting firm that helped Ms Wolfe secure the job.

Mr Oakeshott said yesterday he did not believe there was a "declarable interest" in the Wolfe case.

"In regards to any allegation of 'conflict of interest' in this matter, the nature of anyone's relationship with someone else is not for me to comment on," he said.

"Broadly, I have no ethical or moral dilemma with husbands, wives, brothers, sisters or friends working independently of each other, and do not believe in this case there was a 'declarable interest'."

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