Rules around political donations may be changed after revelations a taxpayer-funded University of Wollongong subsidiary donated thousands of dollars to Illawarra candidates before the last state election.
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Concerns about the donations were raised by the Greens party after it emerged Illawarra Training Company (ITC), which owned the university's private college and Dubai campus, made donations to several Labor and Liberal candidates before the 2011 NSW election. According to legally required disclosure statements, the company gave funds to Gareth Ward, Ryan Park, Noreen Hay, Matt Brown, Michelle Blicavs and John Dorahy.
The Liberal candidates received the biggest share of the bounty - Ms Blicavs received $1280, while Mr Ward received $1200 between 2010 and 2011.
The Kiama MP, who is also chairman of the joint standing committee on electoral matters, said this week if the government was re-elected, he would review the eligibility of publicly funded entities like ITC, to make political donations.
On Friday, Premier Mike Baird also committed to a swathe of reforms if the government retains power after the March 28 election.
Under the changes supported by the NSW government, political parties would be prosecuted as legal entities if they breach election funding rules and donations will be disclosed online and in real time for six months before an election.
Mr Ward, a UOW alumnus and former member of the UOW Council, denied any conflict arising from the donations and his then position on the council.
"I have never had anything to do with the ITC. I have a separate staff member that deals with donations in the office, I don't see them and those who donate shouldn't expect a return from me."
When asked if ITC, which became UOW Enterprises in 2013, was acting ethically when making political donations, the university declined to comment.
But a UOW spokesperson said the donations could have originated from staff attending political fund-raising events.
"The University of Wollongong and its longstanding subsidiaries, including UOW Enterprises, receive invitations to attend many external events, including events of a political nature, some of which are ticketed," the spokesperson said.
"Under current descriptions, the costs of attending ticketed events are classified as donations."