Ian Michael Macdonald (born 7 March 1949) is a former Australian politician and currently undergoing court proceedings and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1988 to 2010 representing the Labor Party.
[10][11][12] In July 2021 Macdonald was found guilty of misconduct in public office on separate charges relating to the granting of a lucrative coal-exploration licence over Cherrydale Park, in the Bylong Valley, owned by the family of Eddie Obeid.
[13][14][15] Raised as one of five children by his mother in a single parent household,[16] Macdonald graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in history and worked for the Australian Council of Overseas Aid, and a range of Commonwealth and State government agencies before his election to parliament in 1988.
[citation needed] Macdonald was previously a member of the New South Wales Socialist Left faction, but was formally expelled in December 2009 for his role in Rees's downfall.
[citation needed] Keneally restored Macdonald to the ministry following her election as Premier, making him the Minister for Major Events, Mineral and Forest Resources, State and Regional Development and Central Coast.
[1] In November 2011 the ICAC commenced an inquiry that heard allegations that Macdonald, while Minister, accepted sexual favours in return for introducing businessman to executives of state-owned energy companies.
[27] In November 2012, the ICAC began a series of investigative hearings relating to Macdonald and the property and mining interests of Eddie Obeid, a former Labor minister and "power broker".
Further, the Commission found that Macdonald acted corruptly by deciding to reopen the expressions of interest process for mining exploration licences in order to favour Travers Duncan, and by providing him with confidential information.
[3][38] In January 2014, the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, announced that the Liberal/National government would introduce legislation into Parliament to cancel the exploration licences for Doyles Creek, Mount Penny and Glendon Brook.
[3][41] In November 2014 the ICAC announced that Macdonald will be prosecuted by the DPP for the offence of misconduct in public office for corruptly issuing of lucrative mining licences at Doyles Creek in the Hunter Valley.
It follows, in our opinion, with the greatest respect to the trial judge, that the jury was not properly directed on the mental element of the offence.Prior to his sentencing, the NSW Parliament passed legislation to remove parliamentary pensions from former politicians convicted of serious criminal offences.