Andrew Stuart Cornwell (born 29 December 1969) is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from the 2011 election until 2014, representing the electorate of Charlestown. He was elected as a Liberal Party candidate, and represented that party until 6 August 2014, when he moved to the parliamentary crossbench and sat as an independent after the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard evidence that Cornwell may have breached electoral funding laws.[1][2] After earlier announcing that would not contest his seat at the next state election,[3] on 12 August 2014 Cornwell resigned from parliament with immediate effect[4] triggering the 2014 Charlestown by-election.[5][6]
Andrew Cornwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Charlestown | |
| In office 26 March 2011 – 12 August 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Morris |
| Succeeded by | Jodie Harrison |
| Majority | 10.2 points |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Andrew Stuart Cornwell 29 December 1969 Glen Innes, New South Wales |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Independent (2014) |
| Other political affiliations | Liberal (2011–2014) |
| Spouse | Samantha Brookes |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Warners Bay, New South Wales |
| Profession | Veterinarian |
Early years and background
editCornwell is a veterinarian with a practice located in Cardiff, New South Wales. He is married with three children and lives in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Warners Bay.[7]
State politics
editIn 2011, Cornwell contested the normally safe Labor seat of Charlestown in the Hunter Valley.[8] He defeated Labor incumbent Matthew Morris with a swing of 25.2 per cent and winning the seat with 59.9 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis. The swing was all the more remarkable since the seat had been in Labor hands since its creation in 1971.[9] In parliament, Cornwell was appointed the government's chief whip in the Legislative Assembly.[2]
In 2011 Cornwell was appointed to chair the NSW Companion Animal Taskforce charged with reducing the unacceptably high euthanasia rates of unwanted domestic pets and improving control of dangerous dogs. This report resulted in landmark amendments to the Companion Animal Act 1988.[10]
On 6 August 2014, a hearing of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) revealed that Cornwell had received $10,000 in illegal donations from Newcastle Lord Mayor Jeff McCloy. Following this revelation, Cornwell resigned from the Liberal Party and moved to the crossbench as an independent pending the result of the inquiry.[11] Cornwell has said that before the 2011 election, McCloy, a prominent developer in Newcastle, met him in McCloy's Bentley and gave him the money, which in turn was given to the Liberal Party.[2] Cornwell also admitted to the ICAC that his wife had received $10,120 from developer Hilton Grugeon, ostensibly for a painting given to the developer in 2010 which was worth much less. The money was used to pay Cornwell's PAYG tax.[12] On 8 August 2014, Cornwell announced that would not contest his seat at the next NSW election,[3] yet by 12 August he had resigned from parliament with immediate effect.[4] As an "explicit act of atonement" for the actions of Cornwell and others, the Liberals opted not to contest the ensuing 2014 Charlestown by-election,[5][6] which saw Labor reclaim the seat.
On 30 August 2016, the Independent Commission Against Corruption released its report into the investigation into illegal developer donations. It found that Cornwell had "Acted with the intention of evading laws banning political donations from property developers, and requiring the disclosure of donation" and also recommended that the Director of Public Prosecutions charge Cornwell and his wife with "giving false and misleading evidence"[13]
In October 2018 Andrew Cornwell was "exonerated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption over perjury allegations."[14] "ICAC announced this week that it had accepted the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions that there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Cornwell with giving false or misleading evidence to the 2014 Operation Spicer." The DPP advised the ICAC the previous year that "it would not pursue perjury charges against Ms Brookes."[14]
In November 2019 Mr Bruce McClintock SC, Inspector of the ICAC released a report into the conduct of counsel assisting towards Andrew Cornwell, Michael Gallacher. In his report he found that Watson’s conduct was “inappropriate” and “unfair” and caused “considerable damage to the public standing of the commission”. On May 19, 2020 McClintock also described Watson’s conduct towards Cornwell and others as “beyond regrettable”.[15][16]
Following the resignation of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Cornwell called for reform of the ICAC for “allowing mud to stick even when allegations are never proven”. He stated that it “had taken four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to clear his name”.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Mr Andrew Stuart Cornwell (1969- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Hasham, Nicole (6 August 2014). "Tim Owen and Andrew Cornwell stand down from Liberal Party after ICAC hearing". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ a b "NSW MP Andrew Cornwell to quit politics following ICAC allegations". The Australian. AAP. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ a b Nicholls, Sean (12 August 2014). "Newcastle MP Tim Owen and Charlestown MP Andrew Cornwell resign from NSW Parliament following ICAC donations inquiry". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
- ^ a b "NSW Premier Mike Baird apologises for Liberal Party after horror week at ICAC". Sunday Telegraph. Australia. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Liberal Party apologises to NSW voters after more MPs resign over corruption allegations". The Sun-Herald. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
- ^ "Andrew Cornwell". Member for Charlestown. Liberal Party. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ McMahon, Jeannette (28 March 2011). "Hunter's political landscape changes dramatically". 1233 ABC Newcastle. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Charlestown". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ "NSW COMPANION ANIMALS TASKFORCE" (PDF). The Office of Local Government - NSW. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ Gerathy, Sarah (6 August 2014). "Two NSW Liberal MPs stand aside from the party following ICAC revelations on campaign funding". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ Whitbourne, Michaela; McClymont, Kate (7 August 2014). "Liberal MP Andrew Cornwell admits taking $20k from property developers: ICAC". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "ICAC refers Chris Hartcher, Andrew Cornwell and Joe Tripodi among others to NSW DPP for prosecution".
- ^ a b Parris, Michael (27 October 2018). "Former Charlestown MP celebrates as ICAC closes door on perjury allegation". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ McKinney, Ian Kirkwood and Max (22 December 2019). "'Inappropriate and unfair': ICAC counsel defends Operation Spicer record". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Report of Inspector of ICAC 19th of December 2019" (PDF). Office of the Inspector of the Independent Commission Against Corruption - NSW Government. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "'Mud sticks': Cleared former MP calls for ICAC reforms". The Daily Telegraph. 2 October 2021.