Latest news with #AustralianCancerWellnessHospital
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Unravelling top schools unit's network of consultants and 1400 contingent workers
The former boss of the NSW government's school-building unit was in contact with the director of consulting firm Paxon in the lead-up to the group winning a multimillion-dollar contract with the agency, an anti-corruption probe has heard. The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is holding public hearings into allegations about the conduct of Anthony Manning, who led School Infrastructure from 2017 until last year. The inquiry is probing claims that under Manning the public school-building unit engaged more than 1400 contingent workers at a cost exceeding $344 million. The ICAC has previously heard employees from rival major consulting firms were deeply embedded in School Infrastructure after it was established in 2017. On Thursday, the inquiry heard from Michael Palassis, the sole director and shareholder of Paxon Group, a finance and infrastructure consultancy. The inquiry heard that during 2017 Manning was in contact with Palassis about setting up a private business venture for the construction of an 'Australian Cancer Wellness Hospital' in China. Palassis said the pair had met several years before when they were working at Health Infrastructure on the Northern Beaches Hospital project. Manning was employed at Health Infrastructure from 2009 to 2017, and Paxon was advising on the viability of a public-private partnership on the northern beaches project. Within a few months of Manning starting as head of School Infrastructure in June 2017, the building unit awarded PwC and Paxon contracts which in combination were worth millions of dollars. On Thursday, counsel assisting Jamie Darams, SC, questioned Palassis about his involvement a proposal to build a hospital in China throughout 2017. Palassis said he recalled Manning approached him about doing work for a developer looking to build the hospital, and the inquiry showed Manning emailed Palassis about the project in July 2017.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Unravelling top schools unit's network of consultants and 1400 contingent workers
The former boss of the NSW government's school-building unit was in contact with the director of consulting firm Paxon in the lead-up to the group winning a multimillion-dollar contract with the agency, an anti-corruption probe has heard. The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is holding public hearings into allegations about the conduct of Anthony Manning, who led School Infrastructure from 2017 until last year. The inquiry is probing claims that under Manning the public school-building unit engaged more than 1400 contingent workers at a cost exceeding $344 million. The ICAC has previously heard employees from rival major consulting firms were deeply embedded in School Infrastructure after it was established in 2017. On Thursday, the inquiry heard from Michael Palassis, the sole director and shareholder of Paxon Group, a finance and infrastructure consultancy. The inquiry heard that during 2017 Manning was in contact with Palassis about setting up a private business venture for the construction of an 'Australian Cancer Wellness Hospital' in China. Palassis said the pair had met several years before when they were working at Health Infrastructure on the Northern Beaches Hospital project. Manning was employed at Health Infrastructure from 2009 to 2017, and Paxon was advising on the viability of a public-private partnership on the northern beaches project. Within a few months of Manning starting as head of School Infrastructure in June 2017, the building unit awarded PwC and Paxon contracts which in combination were worth millions of dollars. On Thursday, counsel assisting Jamie Darams, SC, questioned Palassis about his involvement a proposal to build a hospital in China throughout 2017. Palassis said he recalled Manning approached him about doing work for a developer looking to build the hospital, and the inquiry showed Manning emailed Palassis about the project in July 2017.
