Being under investigation by the state's corruption watchdog is usually a career setback – but not in the case of former NSW energy minister Chris Hartcher, it seems.
Mr Hartcher is about to begin lobbying state and local government on behalf of a property developer, according to advice tabled in the NSW Parliament.
Despite having potential findings from an investigation into illegal political donations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption hanging over his head, Mr Hartcher began work with the firm on Monday.
Under the ministerial code of conduct, former ministers are required to seek the advice of the parliamentary ethics adviser before taking a job within 18 months of ceasing to be a minister.
The advice reveals Mr Hartcher – who quit as a minister in December 2013 after an ICAC raid on his office – emailed the ethics adviser John Evans on April 8 in relation to the position.
It says Mr Hartcher's role is as a paid part-time "corporate affairs/community manager for a development company for housing apartments and retail centres".
His duties will involve "lobbying state and local government". The name of the development company is not provided.
Mr Evans has advised Mr Hartcher that on the basis of information provided to him by Mr Hartcher, his role "is acceptable".
ICAC's Operation Spicer heard last year that Mr Hartcher was the mastermind of a scheme to funnel tens of thousands of dollars worth of illegal political donations to Liberal Party candidates before the 2011 poll that swept the Coalition to power.
Mr Hartcher, who did not respond to a request for comment, has maintained he is innocent. The commission has yet to release its final report.
It has also emerged that former deputy premier Andrew Stoner has been told he should not give advice on a visa scheme he had involvement with in office after breaching the ministerial code of conduct when taking a job with an investment bank.
Fairfax Media revealed Mr Stoner had breached the code by failing to seek advice from the parliamentary ethics advisor before accepting an advisory role with the bank, Moelis Australia.
Mr Stoner had dealings as minister for trade and investment with Moelis in relation to the Significant Investment Visa designed to attract wealthy Chinese to invest in NSW.
Mr Stoner only sought the advice, also tabled on Tuesday, after he accepted the part-time position and following media inquiries.
In it, Mr Evans says Mr Stoner's employment is acceptable but with conditions, including that Mr Stoner "should abstain from providing advice or participation in any decision regarding the NSW SIV scheme" for a year from the day he left cabinet.
Mr Evans advises Mr Stoner the fact that his acceptance of the job "could reasonably be perceived as a reward is a matter of ethical conduct that you need to manage in terms of a perception of a conflict of interest ... "
