The New South Wales Electoral Commission has revealed that legal proceedings have been launched against two state Labor officials over allegations they attempted to disguise political donations connected to the 2015 election campaign of current NSW Premier Chris Minns.
According to a statement released by the commission on Tuesday, the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions commenced proceedings last Thursday against Jonathan Yee and Ernest Wong following a long-running investigation into what was described as a potential effort to circumvent electoral funding laws.
The investigation stemmed from concerns about donations made during Minns’ successful campaign for the Sydney seat of Kogarah in the lead-up to the 2015 state election.
The Electoral Commission said the matter originated from an investigation launched in 2019 into a “potential scheme to circumvent” election funding requirements under New South Wales law.
Allegations Relate to 2015 Campaign
In its statement, the commission outlined the allegations that will be pursued through the court process.
“In the proceedings, it will be alleged that between 28 October 2014 and 12 August 2015 at Sydney and at other places in the State of New South Wales, Mr Yee and Mr Wong carried out a scheme to circumvent a prohibition or requirement under Part 6 of the [Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Act 1981].”
The commission has not disclosed further details regarding the specific allegations beyond those contained in its public statement.
The proceedings represent the latest development in a matter that has been under examination for several years and has links to previous anti-corruption investigations.
ICAC Investigation Triggered Electoral Inquiry
The Electoral Commission said it first became aware of the potential breach through evidence that emerged during the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Aero investigation in 2019.
Operation Aero examined issues surrounding political donations and fundraising activities connected to New South Wales politics.
The commission noted that the anti-corruption investigation ultimately led to findings in 2022 concerning Ernest Wong, a former NSW Labor member of parliament.
According to the Electoral Commission, Operation Aero found that Wong had engaged in corrupt conduct by concealing illegal political donations.
Those findings became a significant component of the commission’s continuing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the donations linked to Minns’ 2015 campaign.
Materials Referred to Prosecutors
The Electoral Commission said it provided relevant materials to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions between March and May 2026.
Those materials were supplied after the commission received additional documents from the Public Accountability and Works Committee of the NSW Parliament relating to the investigation.
The referral to prosecutors eventually resulted in the commencement of proceedings against Yee and Wong last week.
The Electoral Commission has not indicated when the matter will next appear before the courts, and the allegations have yet to be tested in legal proceedings.
Ongoing Legal Process
The launch of proceedings marks a significant step in a case that has evolved from anti-corruption inquiries into formal criminal prosecution.
At this stage, the allegations remain claims that will be considered through the court process.
The Electoral Commission’s announcement focuses on alleged attempts to circumvent provisions contained within New South Wales election funding legislation, laws designed to regulate political donations and ensure transparency in electoral campaigns.
The case is likely to attract considerable attention given its connection to the 2015 campaign of Chris Minns, who now serves as Premier of New South Wales.
Further details are expected to emerge as court proceedings progress.