Ron Medich denies bribery charges in failed Narooma property deal
Property developer Ron Medich has denied bribing an Aboriginal land council to obtain prime real estate at less than market value, the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing has been told.
The hearing is into the Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council on the NSW south coast.
He acknowledged he gave his associate Lucky Gattellari, $53,000 in cash and $20,000 in cheques in relation to the Narooma properties he intended to buy.
ABC reporter Sarah Gerathy described it has “a testy and combative appearance before the ICAC”.
Gattellari previously gave evidence that the $53,000 was to "butter up" executives on the land council.
Medich denied much of Gattellari's testimony.
"I've never heard those words used in my life," Medich said.
Medich acknowledged he signed a joint venture agreement with the land council to develop the four properties, but said he had always intended to buy them outright.
"I went into it to do a joint venture, but I never wanted to do a joint venture," he said.
He said Gattellari had handled any some dealings without his knowledge.
