NOW, three of the four men behind the proposed Doyles Creek underground mine near Jerrys Plains will face prosecution for alleged corrupt conduct in relation to the project.
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The corruption watchdog, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), held an investigation into the awarding of the exploration licence (EL) for the Doyles Creek tenement that resulted in corruptions finding against former Minster for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald, former union boss John Maitland and businessmen Craig Ransley and Andrew Poole.
Mr Macdonald had awarded the EL to Doyles Creek Mining then owned by Maitland, Ransley and Poole among others, by direct allocation without calling for a tender process.
This group of men went onto make millions of dollars from the EL.
The ICAC findings were handed down in 2013 and the Commission had called on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to investigate if there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the four men.
Proceedings against Mr MacDonald had already started as he was also involved in corrupt conduct in regard to the awarding of another EL at Mount Penny near Bylong.
In July the DPP said there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Maitland and Mr Ransley for offences under the Crimes Act namely making and publishing to the Department of Primary Industries false and misleading statements.
The DPP said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with charges against Mr Poole.
