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“In many cases, proposed offers were changed after Mr Clark sent them to Mr Kosu and before they were submitted to the council, and in some cases the offers were amended or prepared by Mr Kosu himself.”
A contract awarded to a company to install a cooling tower at the Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre has become the focus of a corruption investigation.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Clark testified at the inquiry this week that he met Kosu while working on the Sydney B-Line bus corridor project in around 2018. Clark instructed his accountant to set up GWAC, which was registered in July 2020 with the objective of carrying out civil engineering works.
When asked if Kosu had told him he would help Clark win the contract with the city council, Clark said:
“I had been seeking Kosu’s help because I hadn’t worked with local government before, so, you know, I was obviously hoping his guidance would help me get a job in parliament.”
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The first contract the company won for the council was to install a cooling tower at the library.
The inquest heard Clark emailed Kosu a quote for $16,890 a few days after the company was registered. Two other companies also made offers, including one for $30,337.
Phone records show Clark and Kosu spoke twice later that day, and a few hours later Clark sent him an email quoting $27,980 for the same job.
When asked what had changed in the four hours between the two emails, Clark said Kosu would tell him he would not be able to use the on-site lift to reach the library roof and that it would be “heavy and difficult to get the steel structure up there, so it would cost more to do so.”
He denied that Kosu had told him which figures to include.
“You take all these extra items into account and the final quote is about $3,000 cheaper,” Huxley said. “Did you know that if your quote is lower, it means you have a better chance of winning the project?”
Clark said he had “no idea what the others cited” and “didn’t think” Kosu told him.
The inquiry is also examining whether Kosu and Webb partly or dishonestly exercised their official functions by using or attempting to use another company, PMLV Invest and Const Pty Ltd, to provide subcontractors to the council without disclosing a financial interest.
The inquiry heard Clark and Kosu had also worked together on projects outside of council work, with PMLV invoicing Clark for about $300,000 to $400,000 for work between 2020 and 2022.
Clark said Kosu told him he had reported the matter to the council: “I saw a note that said he knew me, or knew of my entity, and that it was a conflict of interest for him in certain matters.”
Clark told the inquest he first met Webb, who was then manager of the council’s engineering and projects department, “when he sacked me over the B-Line project”.
He described Weber as having a “difficult personality” who “clashed with a lot of people.”
“I’m not interested in Ben Webber. I just want to work for my company, that’s all I’m interested in.”
Kosu and Webber are due to give evidence to the inquiry next week.
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