The NSW premier has been accused of making inaccurate disclosures and failing to reveal a conflict of interest in the latest salvo over a divisive plan to turn a historic racecourse into tracts of housing.
One year after the plan to develop Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse became public, a parliamentary inquiry has asked the state corruption watchdog to probe its unanswered questions about behind-the-scenes dealings surrounding the billion-dollar proposal.
The increasingly ugly debate over the track's future has already drawn in prominent racing figures and sporting powerbrokers, culminating in the committee report released on Friday and immediately referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
The report also requested a second probe into a leak that a day earlier prompted Premier Chris Minns to deny any wrongdoing over the proposal to turn the 140-year-old course into a "mini-city" of up to 25,000 homes.
A decision on the plan to sell the Australian Turf Club-owned racecourse ultimately remains up to the club's members, who the inquiry was told were unlikely to vote to support it.
But the plan has been mired in controversy amid opposition from prominent trainers such as Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller, who have squared off against proponents including Racing NSW boss Peter V'landys.
Mr Minns was forced to declare he had "absolutely not" engaged in improper conduct in his dealings with turf club officials.
The committee's chair, Liberal MP Scott Farlow, said it was disappointing that the "legitimate step" of referring the report to the corruption watchdog was leaked, prompting the premier's denial.
"This is not about bringing down a premier - what it is about is probity in decision-making," Mr Farlow told reporters on Friday.
The committee's inquiry was told a longtime friend of the premier raised the prospect of selling the racecourse in October 2023.
Turf club corporate affairs executive Steve McMahon pitched the idea to club chairman Peter McGauran, sparking a meeting with the premier days later.
The premier's diary described it as a "meet and greet", which the committee found was inaccurate and misleading, recommending an update to routine disclosure guidelines.
Mr Minns should have declared a conflict of interest regarding his decades-long friendship with Mr McMahon and met with other turf club executives instead, Mr Farlow said.
Independent MP Mark Latham wanted the report to find Mr Minns had acted improperly and personally refer him to the watchdog.
He was voted down by the rest of the committee.
The majority - excluding its three Labor MPs - instead referred the report in its entirety.
"Because of the unanswered questions, the conflicting evidence in relation to that key contact between the representative of the Australian Turf Club and the premier's office and the premier," Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said.
"We're not making a judgment call ... but it is the responsibility of us to refer the report to ICAC and let them make a decision."
The watchdog's commissioner has previously warned MPs about politicising referrals, which Labor committee member Peter Primrose similarly condemned.
"The ICAC is a very important institution," he said.
"It should be able to get on and do its job, but to weaponise it brings it into disrepute."
Turf club members are expected to vote on the proposal in April despite prospects for the potential $5 billion sale dwindling.
