Roads Minister quizzed over claimed leak to Wagga MP Maguire ahead of M9 orbital motorway

Last week NSW Parliament tabled documents related to Mr Maguire's prior contact with government agencies and ministers.

The documents included notes from Transport for NSW executive director Tim Raimond in 2017 after the Country Garden Chinese investment company linked to Mr Maguire had started buying up land around a confidential planned route for the M9 Orbital Motorway in Sydney.

"How did Daryl McGuire (sic) get that info," Mr Raimond stated in a file note on a meeting about Country Garden, which had sent in detailed proposals for an interchange on its Cawdor land despite the exact route being confidential.

Mr Constance was questioned at a budget estimates hearing yesterday in which One Nation MLC Mark Latham noted that Country Garden had bought 400 hectares near the proposed route.

"Did you receive representations from Daryl Maguire, who had close financial links to Country Garden?" Mr Latham asked.

"Absolutely not," Mr Constance replied.

In other news

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) heard last year and in 2018 that Mr Maguire had tried to secure multiple real estate sales commissions from Country Garden.

Mr Maguire quit Parliament after ICAC heard phone calls in which he asked a Canterbury councillor about developments that Country Garden could purchase for "mega money".

Mr Maguire also tried to sell land in Western Sydney belonging to the Waterhouse horse racing family to Country Garden for a finders fee of up to $1 million.

Witnesses told ICAC that he had sought the NSW government's intervention to improve road access and zoning for the Waterhouse property.

Mr Constance told the budget estimates hearing that he had not requested an investigation into potential leaks from his agencies but would seek advice on the matter and told opposition MPs to make any allegations to "the appropriate authority".

Labor MLC John Graham asked Mr Constance if it was correct that "no one should know" about exact road routes ahead of official announcements that would influence property values.

"Absolutely," Mr Constance said.

Country Garden, now Risland Australia, has denied possessing of confidential information about the motorway and denied that Mr Maguire was involved in its Cawdor land purchases.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: