When asked whether Optus disputes being over 50%-owned by a foreign government - or whether it disputes a foreign government is “in a position to influence” it - the group has repeatedly refused to comment. Optus is both majority-owned and controlled by the Singaporean Government. It is 100%-owned by Singtel, which is 52%-owned by Singaporean Government investment arm Temasek. Yet, Berejiklian, Sheridan, Optus and Singtel - including Singtel chair Lee Theng Kiat and Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon - have all repeatedly refused to provide any evidence to back the claim.Ī company is a foreign donor under Australian law if a foreign government owns 'more than 50%' of the company. It is also a foreign donor if a foreign government is 'in a position to exercise control over the company'. 'Optus does not fall within the definition of a foreign donor under the "Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918".' Under political donor laws introduced in 2019 – in a bid to curb foreign interference – it is illegal for foreign donors to give $100 or more to politicians or political parties in any financial year.įollowing the revelations, Optus has said it is not a “foreign donor”. The AEC disclosure, signed by Optus Vice President Regulatory and Public Affairs Andrew Sheridan, was lodged in November and made public last month. On 19 May, two days earlier, Optus “donated” a further $3,300 to the National Party, disclosures show. The two biggest donations – $30,000 to the Liberal Party and $27,500 to the ALP – were made on the same day: 22 April last year. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) filings show that in the year to 30 June 2022, Optus “donated” $41,400 to the Liberal and National parties and $28,500 to the ALP. The investigation is yet to report.īerejiklian was appointed to the “newly created role” of Managing Director, Enterprise, Business and Institutional by Optus Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, under Optus chair Paul O’Sullivan. A key aspect of the role is to obtain business from Australian governments. She resigned as NSW Premier in October 2021 after the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) announced she was one of the two subjects of its multi-year Operation Keppel investigation. Optus’ enterprise business stood out in the full-year results thanks to a 19 per cent growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the year to March 31.NSW corruption: Gladys Berejiklian is just the beginningįormer NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's resignation comes as no surprise when taking into account her history with corruption.Īs recently revealed by The Klaxon, Optus claims it is not a “foreign donor” under Australia’s political donations laws - despite being majority owned and controlled by the Singaporean Government. Optus is refusing to provide any evidence to back its claim.īerejiklian – who was appointed to the company on 11 February while the subject of an ongoing state corruption probe – has repeatedly refused to comment when asked about the "donations" or their legality. The last submissions to the ICAC inquiry were made this month, so it could be quite a while before there is a final report. That is precisely what Berejiklian did when she joined Optus as head of its enterprise business on February 28 following several months of tumult caused by the ICAC inquiry in NSW. But half the battle in making a career change is picking a business that already has momentum.įormer NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is running the best-performing division at Optus. It is obviously too early to make an assessment of Berejiklian’s management skills given she was only in her Optus job for a month of financial results. Full-year profit results for Singapore Telecommunications show that Gladys Berejiklian moved from politics to the best-performing business within Singtel’s Australian arm, Optus.
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