The NSW anti-corruption watchdog has cleared a senior public servant at the centre of allegations which suggested she used insider information to purchase a $3.8m home in a Sydney suburb earmarked for high density developments.
Under parliamentary privilege, Katie Joyner – who is a director at the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure – was identified as the senior planner in question by Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens on Thursday.
He claimed Ms Joyner and her husband purchased the $3.8m home in Sydney’s upper North Shore suburb of Gordon, and began talking to neighbours about forming a property syndicate to sell their homes to property developers.
The home was bought in August 2023, prior to the government’s announcement that Gordon would be flagged as suburb for increased height and density rezonings under the government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) scheme.
Previously, Mr Henskens had made the allegations in February without naming Ms Joyner, after which she was stood down with pay.
However on Monday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said it was “satisfied” that there is “no evidence” that “Ms Joyner or any other person engaged in corrupt conduct, and has accordingly determined to close its investigation”.
“During the course of its investigation, the Commission obtained and reviewed relevant records using its powers pursuant to section 21 and section 22 of the ICAC Act, conducted a number of interviews, including with Ms Joyner, and conducted forensic reviews of electronic devices,” the statement read.
“The Commission also undertook a review of the timeline of the TOD process, and when Ms Joyner became aware of the relevant TOD affecting the area in which she purchased property.”
Ms Joyner’s lawyer has been contacted for comment.