Irish developer gives evidence in Australian corruption inquiry
An Irish property developer has told a corruption inquiry how he paid a former senior Australian politician a retainer to help get his lands rezoned.
Ted Smith, 70, said former West Australian premier turned lobbyist Brian Burke had secured the rezoning within a month in 2004. Smith described Burke in testimony last week to the West Australia Corruption and Crime Commission as a ‘‘great man’’.
He said that by securing the rezoning, which he had been seeking for several years, Burke had saved him from going bankrupt with debts of €5 million. Smith said he owned a potentially ...
