Deputy WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has demanded a “fulsome and transparent” explanation from Labor MP Jagadish Krishnan and Premier Roger Cook over allegations that Krishnan did not declare about $US5000 in hospitality Amalraj said he provided, following an alleged $1 million loan to his wife’s company.
Krishnan, the member for Riverton, is being sued in a New Jersey court by businessman Kannan Amalraj and his firm Kenyan Consulting LLC for non-payment of a $1 million loan that Amalraj claims had a one-year term. Krishnan has said he will “vigorously” fight the suit, arguing the deal provided for repayment over nine years, and has countersued Amalraj for defamation in the WA Supreme Court over emails Amalraj sent to Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and other colleagues earlier this year.
Amalraj has alleged he spent about $US5000 on accommodation, transport and a Hudson River dinner cruise for Krishnan during the 2024 New York trip. Those expenses do not appear in Krishnan’s parliamentary disclosure register. Under the Members of Parliament (Financial Disclosures) Act 1992, gifts valued at $500 or more must be disclosed, along with any financial contribution to travel unless it was made in the ordinary course of the member’s trade, profession or vocation.
“This is a very serious matter of transparency and integrity when it comes to parliamentary disclosures and returns,” Mettam said on Monday. “I think that the fact that there still are outstanding questions in relation to disclosures should ring alarm bells.”
Last week, Krishnan said he had done nothing wrong. “I’ve done everything appropriately in my declarations. My personal declarations have been done appropriately. I’m confident. I’ve done the appropriate thing,” he said, declining to go further into his declarations because they were connected to a live legal matter. He has described the trip as private, not parliamentary, and said he was assisting his wife.
The loan was sent to Codd Technologies, whose sole shareholder and director is Krishnan’s wife Yaamini Jagadish. Krishnan resigned from all director roles in his related businesses when he entered politics and remains only a sole shareholder in his family company, Srishanna Pty Ltd. Srishanna was a major shareholder in Spectrum Health Group, a network of GP clinics he cofounded; Spectrum Health was sold in a multimillion-dollar deal last week.
Centre for Public Integrity director Geoffrey Watson said MPs should regard their role as full-time employment. “They’re effectively an employee of the people of Western Australia,” he said. “You can have a minor business on the side that does not divert their attention from their job as a parliamentarian.”
Premier Cook said on Friday he could not comment on Krishnan’s disclosures because they were related to a live legal matter. Asked whether Krishnan should have declared Kenyan Consulting’s hospitality, he said: “What you’re saying to me is one of the parties in this legal action has made some accusations now about hospitality and other gifts, I’m going to leave that up to the courts to decide.” He said he required all MPs to uphold the highest standards.
Krishnan was approached for further comment on Monday.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case tests Western Australia’s parliamentary disclosure laws and raises questions about whether MPs engaging in private business can avoid declaring gifts and hospitality from those dealings.
- The outcome could affect public trust in WA Labor's standards of integrity, particularly with a premier who says he will leave the matter to the courts.
- If Krishnan is found to have breached disclosure rules, it may prompt calls for tighter scrutiny of MPs' financial and travel disclosures.
Background
Jagadish Krishnan is the Labor member for the Perth electorate of Riverton. Before entering parliament he cofounded Spectrum Health Group, a large network of GP clinics. The current dispute centres on a $1 million loan made by US businessman Kannan Amalraj to a company owned by Krishnan's wife. Amalraj is suing Krishnan in New Jersey for non-payment; Krishnan is countersuing in Western Australia for defamation. The allegations of undeclared hospitality emerged from Amalraj's court filings.
Key Perspectives
Libby Mettam (Deputy Liberal leader): called for a "fulsome and transparent" response from Krishnan and Premier Cook, saying outstanding questions about disclosures "should ring alarm bells."
Jagadish Krishnan (Labor MP for Riverton): maintains he did nothing wrong, that his declarations were appropriate, and that the trip was private. He declined to discuss his declarations because they relate to the legal case.
Roger Cook (Premier of Western Australia): said he could not comment on Krishnan's disclosures due to the live legal matter, and that he leaves the question of whether hospitality should have been declared to the courts.
Geoffrey Watson (Centre for Public Integrity director): said MPs are effectively employees of the people of Western Australia and should treat their role as full-time, limiting side businesses that distract from their duties.
What to Watch
- Whether Krishnan files further disclosures or amends his parliamentary register.
- Any court rulings on the disclosure obligations in the New Jersey and WA proceedings.
- Premier Cook's response if the courts or a parliamentary committee find Krishnan's disclosures were inadequate.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe summary says Amalraj alleged that the hospitality was not declared.The Age - Latest News: “Amalraj claimed he spent about $US5000 on accommodation, transport and a Hudson River dinner cruise for Krishnan. None of those expenses appeared in Krishnan’s parliamentary disclosure register.”
- SupportedMettam urged Krishnan to explain the New York trip and hospitality disclosures.The Age - Latest News: “On Monday, Mettam called on Krishnan and WA Premier Roger Cook to provide a “fulsome and transparent” response.”
- SupportedMettam pressed Premier Cook for answers about the disclosure questions.The Age - Latest News: “On Monday, Mettam called on Krishnan and WA Premier Roger Cook to provide a “fulsome and transparent” response.”
- SupportedAmalraj claimed he spent about US$5,000 on accommodation, transport and a Hudson River dinner cruise for Krishnan.The Age - Latest News: “Amalraj claimed he spent about $US5000 on accommodation, transport and a Hudson River dinner cruise for Krishnan.”
- SupportedThe hospitality expenses did not appear in Krishnan’s parliamentary disclosure register.The Age - Latest News: “None of those expenses appeared in Krishnan’s parliamentary disclosure register.”
- SupportedKrishnan is being sued in New Jersey by Amalraj and Kenyan Consulting LLC over non-payment of a $1 million loan Amalraj says had a one-year term.The Age - Latest News: “American businessman Kannan Amalraj and his company, Kenyan Consulting LLC, is suing Krishnan in a New Jersey court for non-payment of that loan that he claimed had a one-year term.”
- SupportedKrishnan said he would “vigorously” fight the suit, arguing the deal provided for repayment over nine years.The Age - Latest News: “Krishnan has vowed to “vigorously” fight Amalraj’s lawsuit, claiming the deal signed outlined a nine-year repayment term”
- SupportedMettam said, “This is a very serious matter of transparency and integrity when it comes to parliamentary disclosures and returns.”The Age - Latest News: ““This is a very serious matter of transparency and integrity when it comes to parliamentary disclosures and returns,” she said.”
- SupportedKrishnan said, “I’ve done everything appropriately in my declarations. My personal declarations have been done appropriately. I’m confident. I’ve done the appropriate thing.”The Age - Latest News: ““I’ve done everything appropriately in my declarations. My personal declarations have been done appropriately. I’m confident. I’ve done the appropriate thing,” he said last week.”
- SupportedThe disclosure law requires MPs to declare gifts worth $500 or more and financial contributions to travel, subject to the stated trade, profession or vocation exception.The Age - Latest News: “The Members of Parliament (Financial Disclosures) Act 1992 mandates that a member “shall disclose gifts received”, if they are valued at $500 or more. They must also disclose any financial contribution to travel, unless it “was made in the ordinary course of any trade, profession or vocation of the member”.”
- SupportedCook said he would leave the hospitality and gifts accusations for the courts to decide.The Age - Latest News: ““What you’re saying to me is one of the parties in this legal action has made some accusations now about hospitality and other gifts, I’m going to leave that up to the courts to decide,” he said.”