John Atkinson, the former managing director of White Energy, has denied pressuring the state government of New South Wales to reopen a takeover bid for various coal exploration licenses.
Atkinson made the statement in front of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry looking into the possible rigging of a tender process for exploration licenses in Bylong Valley by former Labor minister, Ian MacDonald, back in 2008.
The corruption inquiry has been told that White Energy paid $500 million for Cascade Coal, located also in Bylong Valley, which has linked to another former Labor Minister, Eddie Obeid. The investigation has revealed White Energy had sent letters under different lettered heads to the NSW Department of primary Industries, in what the ICAC sees as an attempt to to create an illusion more than one company was interested in Cascade.
Atkinson denied the ICAC’s explanation, and suggested that a syndicate related to White Energy may have been behind the sending of letters.
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