Four days, one witness and an unknown number of lies: What we learnt from ICAC week six

See what we learnt from Operation Rosny week five here.

The popcorn bags were unfolded and placed in the microwave in readiness for a hotly anticipated appearance from a star witness when word went around that Jean Nassif would not be gracing the Independent Commission Against Corruption with his presence. Not for a little while, at least.

While the audiovisual link to Lebanon is on hold for now, and the fugitive property developer is not on next week’s witness list, the ICAC spent the past week prying answers from Charles Perrottet, once-favourite brother to former premier Dominic.

The ICAC’s Operation Rosny is examining three main allegations concerning inner workings of sections of the NSW Liberal Party, Catholic Schools NSW and business figures in Sydney. Here are five of the key things we learnt in week six.

Doctor, doctor, give me the news

Nassif had been due to appear on Friday via video link from Lebanon, where he has been since fleeing Australia in December 2022.

There is a warrant out for his arrest on serious fraud charges, which makes a return to Australia unlikely.

Counsel assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer, SC, told the commission late on Tuesday that Nassif had provided a medical certificate but that he wanted to reschedule his appearance.

The secret recordings

Nassif’s voice was heard, however, when phone tap recordings played to the ICAC showed him bragging about influence he believed he had in the state government. The brags included that Dominic Perrottet was his “boy”, and came as Charles Perrottet was giving Nassif updates about the success of the right faction of the Liberal Party. Perrottet denied ever offering political outcomes in exchange for payments.

New audio emerged, too, during examination of a plot to smear then-police minister David Elliott, an enemy of Nassif’s and factional opponent of Charles Perrottet and other targets of the inquiry.

But the words were difficult to hear over a rhythmic sound that Dwyer said was probably a heartbeat and suggested the use of a “recording device”.

Perrottet said he did not know how he came to possess the covertly recorded audio file of Elliott.

Lies, lies and evidence to the ICAC

Charles Perrottet told the commission during the week that he would add “political flavour” to his discussions with Nassif, and misled him into giving more money. Perrottet said he was lying when he told Nassif he was “working on it” after the developer asked for his help to get the building commissioner off his back.

He also acknowledged that he may not have told his wife, Anita, the whole truth about the arrangement whereby her consulting company would be paid for advice he was providing.

It culminated in this exchange on Friday, with Dwyer asking: “But you know, don’t you, that in the witness box in this commission, you are obliged to tell the truth by law 100 per cent of the time?”

Perrottet: “I’m aware.”

Dwyer: “I’m suggesting that you have repeatedly given false evidence under oath and you have encouraged your wife Anita to give false evidence under oath.”

Perrottet denied this.

During cross-examination, he said he had been honest about his lies.

“I’ve accepted where I lied and misled people. That does not make me to be a dishonest person,” Perrottet said.

Damp squibs and wet fish

Perrottet was grilled about an alleged extortion attempt against Nassif’s company Toplace for $5 million supposedly by the building commissioner.

The inquiry heard that even though Perrottet had known of the extortion details for an entire year, he did nothing.

Presiding commissioner Fabian Gleeson, SC, struggled with Perrottet’s failure to report this potentially criminal offence.

“You say you thought it was a credible extortion attempt but you don’t refer it to the police or ICAC? So, what? It’s just a wet fish, is it? It just goes nowhere?” Gleeson said.

Perrottet told the ICAC it never occurred to him that the extortion texts sent to Nassif could have been fake.

This has nothing to do with Dominic

The former premier’s name has been mentioned a fair bit. Two of his brothers and a sister-in-law have appeared as witnesses, and some of the time of the alleged wrongdoing coincides with his political ascent. But there has never been any suggestion of wrongdoing by Dominic Perrottet.

There is also no allegation against former fair trading minister Eleni Petinos, who appeared as a witness in relation to Nassif’s attempts to depose former building commissioner David Chandler.

Gleeson made the ICAC’s position clear: “I’ll just indicate for the transcript that neither Eleni Petinos nor Dominic Perrottet is a person of interest in this inquiry.”

More to come …

Next week promises a bit more variety. Lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood makes his return, after appearing for much of week three, on Monday and Tuesday. Former Labor councillor Sharangan Maheswaran is down for Wednesday and Thursday, while his political nemesis and one-time independent Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore is slated for Friday.

When Nassif returns to the witness list, we’ll break out the popcorn.

With Kate McClymont and Bevan Shields

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Jessica McSweeney is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald covering state politics and urban affairs.Connect via email.Alexandra Smith is a senior writer and former state political editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.Michael Ruffles is the deputy state topic editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.AdvertisementAdvertisement