Researching Ian Macdonald

After the Independent Commission Against Corruption found that he acted in a corrupt manner, Macdonald was charged with the offence of misconduct in public office for corruptly issuing lucrative mining licences at Doyles Creek in the Hunter Valley, found guilty by a Supreme Court jury in March 2017, and sentenced in June 2017 for a period of ten years, with a minimum custodial period of seven years. Macdonald appealed against the verdict and, on 25 February 2019, his conviction was quashed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal who ordered a retrial. He was granted bail and released from custody on the same day. In July 2021 Macdonald was found guilty of misconduct in public office on separate charges relating to the granting of a lucrative coal-exploration licence over Cherrydale Park, in the Bylong Valley, owned by the family of Eddie Obeid.

In addition to practicing architecture, MacDonald has taught at the University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design between 1984 and 2000, and has lectured nationally and internationally.

Macdonald studied at the Glasgow Academy and University of Glasgow before undertaking National Service He joined the Scottish National Party (SNP), and began working on a farm in Killearn, in 1956 starting a branch of the SNP in nearby Balfron. The following year, he inherited the family farm in Newmilns, and started the Irvine Valley branch of the party. He was elected to the SNP organisation committee, and in 1961 to its executive. The party also stood him as its candidate at the 1961 Glasgow Bridgeton by-election, its first by-election candidacy in nine years. Supported by election agent Alan Niven, Macdonald won 18.7% of the vote in a seat which the party had never previously contested. This result delighted Macdonald, who sold the farm to become the SNP's first full-time national organiser since the early 1950s.

Macdonald proved a very effective organiser, travelling the nation to set up new branches. He married Karen, daughter of SNP activist Douglas Drysdale, although then struggled as Douglas interfered with his work.

By the time Macdonald stood down, in 1968, the SNP had gone from having 140 branches to having 484, and official membership had risen to 120,000. He subsequently became a vice-president of the party, and remained on the party's national executive through the 1970s, during which time he ran a dry cleaning business. He also stood unsuccessfully for the SNP in several elections: Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire in 1970, Hamilton in February and October 1974, when he took 39% of the vote, and Central Ayrshire in 1979.

Macdonald also received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1967.