'I want to clear my name': Former NSW minister charged with misconduct

Wed 8 Jul 2026 at 12:58pm

Wed 8 Jul 2026 at 12:58pm

In short:

Former Liberal government minister John Sidoti has been charged with misconduct while in public office.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has found Mr Sidoti engaged in serious corrupt conduct by lobbied councillors to relax planning controls relating to properties he owned.

Mr Sidoti said he would fight the charge and he wanted to clear his name.

Former New South Wales Liberal government minister John Sidoti says he will fight a charge of misconduct while in public office.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) found in 2022 that Mr Sidoti engaged in serious corrupt conduct by using his position to influence local councillors to benefit his family's property interests.

The report found Mr Sidoti lobbied councillors at the City of Canada Bay to relax planning controls so that three properties his family owned in Five Dock could benefit from their development potential.

It recommended the Director of Public Prosecutions consider criminal charges.

The former member for Drummoyne served in state parliament from 2011 to 2023, and was minister for sport, multiculturalism, seniors and veterans under former premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Court documents show Mr Sidoti was charged on Friday last week.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will allege he sought to influence Liberal Party councillors to advance his and his family's interests.

It will also allege he "[failed] to disclose his personal interests to the City of Canada Bay councillors, such misconduct being serious and meriting criminal punishment."

'I want to clear my name'

In a statement, Mr Sidoti said he would fight the charge.

"I welcome the opportunity because I want to get on with my life and I want to clear my name, and this has been the first opportunity I've had in that process," he said.

"My life has been ruined and I've never told my side of the story, I've never been able to give my version of events."

"If you read those stories, they're just so far from the truth, it's not funny and there's been no accountability at all."

Opposition leader Kellie Sloane said she had asked for his Liberal Party membership to be suspended.

"This morning I have written to the Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division, requesting that the membership of John Sidoti be suspended pending the outcome of charges laid in relation to ICAC's Operation Witney," Ms Sloane said in a statement.

Mr Sidoti's successor, Liberal Party MP Stephanie Di Pasqua, has previously faced questions over her decision to continue working in his office for several months after the ICAC made findings of corruption.

There has been no suggestion of any wrongdoing on her part, and Ms Sloane said she had "full confidence" in Ms Di Pasqua.