The acting secretary of the NSW Cabinet Office has launched an "urgent examination" of state government development processes in the Hunter after Tim Crakanthorp's shock sacking and referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Premier Chris Minns forced Mr Crakanthorp to resign on Wednesday after the Newcastle MP allegedly failed to "promptly" disclose the extent of his extended family's "substantial" property holdings in Newcastle, including near the government's proposed Hunter Park redevelopment precinct.
Opposition leader Mark Speakman asked Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper in Parliament on Thursday what communications he had received from Mr Crakanthorp about Hunter Park given the MP told a Property Council function last month that he had been "knocking on your door every day" asking to see the redevelopment proposal's business case.
Mr Kamper replied that Cabinet Office acting secretary Peter Duncan had been instructed to examine "all current major Hunter region development processes involving state government agencies".
"We want to be sure that governance assurance and decision-making processes are sound," he said.
Mr Kamper said the government would update Parliament when the review was over.
Earlier, the Opposition asked Mr Minns to detail the "matters and actions" which led to Mr Crakanthorp's sacking as Minister for the Hunter and his other portfolios.
Mr Minns said he would "not speculate" on what the ICAC investigation would entail but reiterated that he had concerns "there may have been matters over the preceding four months that may have caused other breaches [of the ministerial code of conduct] or caused for an investigation by the corruption watchdog, particularly in relation to those undisclosed properties and his actions as a minister".
Asked in Parliament if he was aware of Mr Crakanthorp's private interests when he appointed him Minister for the Hunter, Mr Minns said: "I don't have a detailed understanding of ministers' in-laws' personal property.
"I don't think that's necessarily a huge revelation to the house."
Mr Minns said at a media conference on Thursday morning that the government would "look at and investigate potential decisions in the Hunter".
"I've only been briefed about a breach in the ministerial code in the last 24 hours," he said. "That's a legitimate question. I don't have an answer for it right now.
"Our immediate task and immediate action was in relation to his executive responsibility, and we've got more to do in relation to ongoing work in the Hunter region."
Mr Minns has said Mr Crakanthorp will have to step aside from the parliamentary Labor party and sit on the crossbench if ICAC decides to investigate.
Mr Crakanthorp has said in media statements and in Parliament that he self-reported the potential breaches of the ministerial code regarding disclosures.
Mr Minns said he had received information relating to the number of properties Mr Crakanthorp's extended family held, prompting him to write a formal letter to the Newcastle MP.
That resulted in a "large number" of properties being submitted to the Premier and the Cabinet Office owned by Mr Crakanthorp's extended family members.
The Premier would not be drawn on how many properties were in question but said it was "more than a couple, obviously".
The Newcastle Herald has identified seven properties in Broadmeadow belonging to the MP's in-laws and one bought by Mr Crakanthorp's wife, Laura, in February.
His father-in-law, Joseph Manitta, and other family members stood to gain from any moves to redevelop the 63-hectare Hunter Park precinct at Broadmeadow and the surrounding area for housing.
Mr Crakanthorp is not the only politician or community advocate who has pushed for Hunter Park to go ahead.
The project is at the top of City of Newcastle's list of infrastructure priorities, a key project in the Committee for the Hunter's advocacy strategy and on Infrastructure Australia's priority list.
Mr Minns said every MP was likely to have conflicts of interest, particularly in relation to property ownership, but the issue was about disclosing them and "ensuring there are safeguards in place".
"Obviously, like any town in NSW, there is the potential for development within those places," he said.
"If there is or there has been a concern about him acting in his public capacity with potential private interest, that needs to be investigated.
"I do have concerns about that. I'm being honest about it, and that's why we've referred it to the ICAC.
"It's disappointing. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Obviously we expect better and we want better. We want to have a high standard delivered to the people of NSW."
Mr Crakanthorp did not comment on Thursday after addressing Parliament on Wednesday night to clarify some of the details surrounding the "unfortunate" omissions from his ministerial disclosure.
He said on Wednesday that the omissions were accidental and he had done nothing "inappropriate".
The Newcastle Herald does not suggest Mr Crakanthorp or his family members acted corruptly or gained any private benefit from his actions as minister.
