Hello and welcome to week eight in the ICAC’s Operation Rosny public hearings and the day we’ve all been waiting for – fugitive property developer Jean Nassif will take to the (virtual) witness box to give evidence at the corruption inquiry.
I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and I’ll be bringing you all the news as it happens from inside the hearing room.
This morning former Strathfield Mayor Matthew Blackmore will answer questions about the ICAC’s third main allegation, whether Sharangan Maheswaran and/or Karen Pensabene engaged in dishonest conduct including blackmail or possible surveillance.
Then the ICAC will set up a video link to Lebanon where Nassif will answer questions about his connections with Liberal Party figures.
Until then, let’s take a look at what we covered last week:
- Lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood told the corruption inquiry Jean Nassif promised to pay $1 million to Beckington for each of five projects he wanted them to fast-track, and the only record of this agreement was a scrawled note by a Toplace staffer on a “pink piece of paper” hidden in the back of her phone case.
- Beckington secured fast-track status for two projects, but Nassif had “buyers remorse” about paying the $2 million, Greenwood said, and would split payments into smaller cheques.
- Greenwood said Jean Nassif respected Charles Perrottet and was motivated to pay bills to Beckington if Perrottet threatened to stop giving the developer political updates.
- Greenwood said he wasn’t paid by Toplace to damage David Elliott’s political career, rather he and Sharangan Maheswaran saw it as a “personal project”.
- Greenwood and his business partner Christian Ellis were receiving substantial income through Beckington only a year after setting up the company, and were discussing buying a Ferrari or a Porsche when anticipating large payments would come in from Nassif, the inquiry heard.