Mining company Gujarat NRE Coking Coal failed to declare several political donations in its applications to expand its mining operations around Wollongong.
The donations have come to light as the NSW Planning Department revealed it had recommended approval of the preliminary works stage of Gujarat NRE's expansion of its Russell Vale operations.
Gujarat NRE gave several donations to the Liberal Party, including $4000 five weeks before the March election, $1500 to the National Party, and several thousand to Labor when it was in government.
The donations, which were disclosed last week in documents sent to the Planning Department, include $1000 to Wollongong lord mayoral candidate Rod Oxley.
Gujarat NRE's chairman Arun Jagatramka also personally donated money to the Liberals - a $3000 payment in March last year.
None of the donations had been revealed when Gujarat lodged its development application in March 2010 - despite planning laws requiring the disclosure of any donations made from two years before the application, up until when an application is determined.
A Planning Department spokeswoman said no disclosures were received until last Wednesday. The belated disclosure list reveals donations made as far back as 2007.
Because of the late disclosures, Gujarat's application has been referred to the independent Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) - rather than the Planning Minister using his Part 3A powers to determine the application.
A report signed by Planning Department Director-General Sam Haddad recommends the project be approved with conditions.
"The department has assessed the potential noise and air quality impacts resulting from the proposal, and considers that they are generally minor in nature and similar to existing levels of impact, as the proposal does not involve any increase in coal production," it says.
Gujarat NRE has not responded to questions from the Mercury.
A Department of Planning and Infrastructure spokeswoman said it is up to the developer to disclose political donations along with development proposals.
"As soon as it was received, it was uploaded to the department's website and the proposal has been referred to the PAC for determination, as occurs for all proposals for which a reportable political donation has been disclosed," she said.
"The application was subjected to a rigorous, merit-based assessment by the department. The department's assessment process is not influenced by the existence of donations or otherwise."
Gujarat NRE's August 2007 donations included $5000 to the NSW premier and $2000 to the ALP. The disclosure laws were introduced by the Rees government in late 2008 along with a ban on political donations from developers.
FULL LIST OF DONATIONS
Gujarat NRE's recent donations include:
June 29, 2011 Rod Oxley, mayoral candidate $1000
March 23, 2011 National Party of Australia $1500
February 25, 2011 Liberal Party of Australia $4000
August 17, 2010 Liberal Party of Australia $1000
August 17, 2010 Australian Labour [sic] Party $500
August 16, 2010 Australian Labour [sic] Party $500
August 16, 2010 Ms Lylea McMahon, former MP $1700
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