BARRY O'Farrell has his first big scandal - and his first by-election - with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Police Minister resigning from parliament after admitting he falsified a statuatory declaration to dodge a speeding fine.
In echoes of the Marcus Einfeld case, Steve Cansdell, the Nationals MP for Clarence, has admitted that in 2005 he signed a false statutory declaration saying someone else was driving his car when it was caught speeding.
The form blaming an unnamed "third party" avoided a loss of points, which would have meant Mr Cansdell lost his licence.
The Daily Telegraph understands the person who claimed to have been driving the car was a former electorate officer.
NSW police yesterday confirmed they were investigating a 54-year-old man for making a false statuatory declaration about a driving offence six years ago. Giving a false statement in a statuatory declaration carries a maximum penalty of seven years jail.
By resigning before any charge is laid, Mr Cansdell ensures he is entitled to a parliamentary pension of more than $80,000 a year.
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