Warwick Watkins

Warwick Arthur Watkins (1950–2019) was a disgraced senior New South Wales public servant and former member of the Australia national rugby union team, the Wallabies.

Watkins was born in Newcastle, New South Wales on 8 February 1950.

He was educated at Grafton High School and Hawkesbury Agricultural College.

Watkins was selected in the Australian Rugby team, the Wallabies, and was a reserve in the three Test match Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand in 1980 held in Australia.

Watkins held a range of senior New South Wales public service positions including:

He also held a range of inter-governmental appointments including Deputy Commissioner of the Murray Darling Basin Commission 1992–95, Chair of the Total Catchment Management Coordinating Committee and Deputy Chair of the CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country Flagship Board.

Watkins was Chairman of the Australian New Zealand Land Information Council, 2000–2011.

With a career of 41 years, Watkins was dismissed from the NSW Public Service in July 2011, after having been stood down in March 2011.

In the week prior to his dismissal, Watkins resigned from his positions as NSW surveyor-general, registrar-general and commissioner of the soil conservation service.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in delivering its official findings in December 2011 reported that Watkins acted corruptly.

Watkins admitted to ICAC he had used a letter backdated by former planning minister Tony Kelly to mislead investigators.

On 20 June 2011, ICAC announced that it would hold a public inquiry into matters arising from the purchase of property at Currawong, Pittwater by the NSW Government.

Specifically, purchase involved four properties at Currawong, Pittwater, were purchased for $12.2 million on 15 March 2011 by Watkins on behalf of the NSW Government from the owner, Eco Villages Australia Pty Limited.

The properties were previously owned by a NSW union.

ICAC held a public inquiry over 11 days during June and July 2011.

The ICAC Commissioner, the Hon. David Ipp AO QC, presided at the public inquiry.

Twenty-one witnesses gave evidence.

ICAC concluded its investigation in mid-December.

ICAC found that the Minister for Lands Tony Kelly engaged in corrupt conduct with respect to the purchase of the property by the NSW Government.

Specifically, ICAC found that Kelly, authorised the purchase even though he knew he was not authorised to do so, and that he backdated a letter to before the caretaker period of government commenced, knowing that it would be used by a public servant to falsely represent that written authority had been given to authorise the purchase.

That public servant was Watkins, Director General of the Department of Lands.

The property purchase was undertaken during the caretaker period of government – that period of time between the announcement of the calling of the state elections and the forming of the government after the elections.

The NSW state elections were held on 25 March 2011.

As the property purchase should not to be undertaken during the caretaker period, the legitimacy of authorisation was quickly raised within the senior levels of the public service.

On 17 March 2011 the Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet NSW requested the Internal Audit Bureau (IAB) to investigate Watkins' authority to purchase the site and on 18 March 2011 Watkins was stood down from the public service.

Subsequently, Watkins contacted Kelly and asked if he would sign a letter, backdated to 28 February 2011, that would authorise Watkins to purchase the Currawong property.

The effect of the backdating of the letter was to convey that prior authority had been given by the NSW Premier Kristina Keneally on 25 February 2011, in her letter to Minister Kelly.

Watkins claimed the letter to Kelly dated 25 February 2011 from Premier Keneally authorised the purchase of the site, and he acted on the direction of Minister Kelly's letter dated 28 February 2011.

However, ICAC found that the Premier's letter only authorised negotiations and did not actually authorise Watkins to purchase the site.

Further, ICAC's investigations confirmed that Kelly's letter to Watkins had been fraudulently backdated.

ICAC also produced evidence that Watkins organised a secret rendezvous with staffer, Costello where he discussed his evidence.

This action by Watkins took place despite ICAC warning Watkins not to discuss evidence and meet with other witnesses.

This was also a breach of ICAC by Costello.

ICAC's opinion was that the matter be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions with respect to the prosecution of Watkins, Kelly and Costello for various criminal offences.

Arising from ICAC's investigation and DPP advice, it is significant that only Watkins would face criminal charges and be convicted.

Watkins faced criminal charges in the NSW Local Court where it was reported he could have received 10 years imprisonment.

Keneally testified that she only authorised Watkins to start negotiating with the developer who owned the property.

She testified that he was not authorised to complete the purchase by agreeing to the $12 million deal.

Keneally confirmed that Watkins proceeded without the authorisation from the executive level of government and it occurred when the government was in caretaker mode.

Watkins faced court in December 2013.