Former NSW premier Mike Baird has told a Sydney court that the alleged co-conspirator of a businesswoman accused of defrauding the National Australia Bank organised a luxury holiday for him and his family at the Wolgan Valley resort.
Baird, who joined NAB shortly after quitting politics in January 2017, worked as the bank’s chief customer officer for corporate and institutional banking and later consumer banking. He left the bank in 2020.
Mike Baird spent almost three years at NAB as the bank’s chief customer officer for corporate and institutional banking, and later consumer banking.Credit:Louise Kennerley
The former premier was called to give evidence on Friday in the NSW District Court trial of Sydney businesswoman Helen Rosamond, who is standing trial on charges relating to her alleged role in defrauding NAB of $15 million between 2013 and 2017.
Rosamond has pleaded not guilty to 60 counts of giving a corrupt benefit and 32 counts of dishonestly obtaining, or attempting to dishonestly obtain, a financial advantage by deception.
Rosemary Rogers, who was chief of staff to the bank’s former chief executives Cameron Clyne and Andrew Thorburn, has told the court she approved inflated invoices to NAB from Rosamond’s event management company Human Group as part of a fraudulent scheme.
She has said she received “benefits” from Rosamond, including Wolgan Valley trips, a house deposit, a BMW and a boat, and NAB ultimately picked up the tab as part of the inflated invoices.
Rosemary Rogers and Helen Rosamond.Credit:Nick Moir/Louise Kennerley
Crown prosecutor Katrina Mackenzie asked Baird on Friday: “Now, while you were at the National Australia Bank, is it correct that Rosemary Rogers organised a weekend away for you and your family at Wolgan Valley?”
“Yes,” Baird replied. He said he was not told who was organising the weekend away, and he was not asked to pay for it.
“Did Ms Rogers explain to you who would pay for it?” Mackenzie asked.
“It was explained that they had a regular booking, and as part of that they had a few extra nights that could be used,” Baird said. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the former premier.
Baird told the court he met Rosamond briefly in early 2017 at the Langham Hotel in Sydney when he was meeting Thorburn about a potential role at the bank.
He said there may have been two meetings, but he only recalled meeting Rosamond once.
“It was an incredibly all-consuming time having left politics,” he said.
The court has previously heard Rosamond had been asked to book a hotel room for the meeting between Baird and Thorburn but was otherwise not involved in his recruitment.
The Crown alleges NAB subsequently paid a $2.2 million invoice after Rogers and Rosamond colluded to claim the money was needed to employ Baird.
Asked when he became aware of Human Group’s contract with NAB being terminated, Baird said: “I think it was early in 2018, I can’t remember the exact timing. But I think we were advised maybe the night before it was in the media, I think.”
He said he became aware of criminal allegations at the same time.
The jury has previously heard Rogers received a prison sentence in 2020 after pleading guilty to 27 counts of corruptly receiving a benefit and five of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
Rogers received a discounted sentence in light of her early guilty plea and her agreement to give evidence in Rosamond’s trial, the court has heard.
The trial continues.
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