A pink note, a dirt doco and an ‘insane’ meeting: What we learnt from ICAC week seven

See what we learnt from Operation Rosny week six here.

The ICAC was in the pink this week, and it seems star witness Jean Nassif is too. He is slated to give evidence from Lebanon via audiovisual link on Monday, after earlier providing a medical certificate that delayed his appearance at the corruption inquiry.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Rosny is examining three main allegations concerning the inner workings of sections of the NSW Liberal Party, Catholic Schools NSW and business figures in Sydney.

With the fugitive property developer unwell, Jeremy Greenwood – the co-founder of lobbying firm Beckington – endured two more days in the witness box.

Here are five of the key things we learnt in week seven.

The missing pink

We know it wasn’t hot pink, or light pink, but perhaps it was fuchsia, a “sort of purplish pink”, and larger than 10 centimetres in diameter.

The physical characteristics of a piece of paper allegedly used to jot down details of $1 million payments from developer Jean Nassif to lobbying firm Beckington in return for fast-tracked developments were discussed at some length at the ICAC this week.

Alas, the pink slip itself – apparently the only written record of Nassif’s promised payments – is missing.

It was folded and tucked for a time into the phone case of Toplace general manager Larissa Mouawad, but its whereabouts are now unknown, Beckington co-founder Jeremy Greenwood told the inquiry.

Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer, SC, pointed out that Greenwood had failed to mention the crucial note in previous appearances, and suggested the fuchsia file was a figment of his imagination.

“And that’s because it was a recent invention that you came up with on Monday or prior to Monday to explain that arrangement, isn’t it?” Dwyer asked.

“No, that’s, that’s absolutely incorrect,” Greenwood said.

‘Wire me for sound’

“Can I get Shane to wire me for sound tomorrow and you guys pick up the bill?” Greenwood texted Sharangan Maheswaran, then a Strathfield Labor councillor and senior executive at Nassif’s Toplace development company.

Greenwood’s text – apparently a reference to getting private investigator Shane De Kauwe to fit him with secret recording equipment before a meeting with Liberal Party figures – was revealed at the ICAC this week.

Maheswaran wrote back to Greenwood: “I can give you the equipment or Shane can, so either way.”

Secretly recording conversations can be a criminal offence.

Greenwood told the inquiry it was OK because he was only joking.

“It’s just a silly comment,” he offered. “I don’t think that meeting happened.” Pressed why he said it, Greenwood replied: “I have to stress it’s just a stupid comment.”

Mum’s the word

Anita Perrottet had previously struggled to explain the undocumented work she did for Beckington in return for the significant payments she received, but Greenwood was able to shed a little light on her labours this week.

The pair had discussed a strategy to promote legal vaping as a way to combat the black market, and reducing flavours likely to appeal to children, he said.

“She was very effective with that one, she also gave sort of a mum’s perspective,” Greenwood said.

“That’s what you were paying her for. Is that correct?” Dwyer asked.

“No, I was paying for all that amazing advice she just gave,” Greenwood said.

The ICAC heard there are no emails reflecting any work being done by Anita Perrottet that have been found by the commission, and no phone records showing direct calls between her and Greenwood.

The plots thicken

The inquiry heard more on the various stratagems developed by Greenwood and others to damage the careers of Liberal MP David Elliott and Building Commissioner David Chandler.

These included sending dirt, or negative information, about Elliott to internet personality Friendlyjordies for a “one-hour documentary on him”, according to a text from Maheswaran to Greenwood.

Further texts between the pair discussed getting a media professional to get negative stories about Chandler into the news cycle.

Greenwood denied this scheming was done at the bidding of Nassif, but was instead a “personal project” undertaken with Maheswaran.

“No, I wasn’t paid for that, I was just helping a friend,” Greenwood said.

An ‘insane’ meeting

Dwyer asked Greenwood why he referred to a meeting with Nassif and Charles Perrottet as “insane”.

The corruption inquiry heard texts from Greenwood to Ellis saying that the meeting went well but that he couldn’t relay what was discussed over text.

“The meeting was insane, and you don’t want to put it in writing, why not?” Dwyer asked.

“There were times meetings with Jean were quite calm, and there were times meetings with Jean would go off in tangents that were pretty out there,” the lobbyist replied.

More to come …

Nassif is slated for a Monday afternoon slot at the inquiry, medical issues pending.

The witness list may change, but the property developer’s appearance in the witness box is now sandwiched between two appearances by former Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore, on Monday and Tuesday morning.

Blackmore was allegedly subjected to attempted blackmail by Maheswaran and another councillor, Karen Pensabene.

Greenwood is due to return for yet another stint in the witness box on Wednesday, while a new name, Strathfield real estate agent Mohammad Abedin is due to appear on Thursday and Maheswaran is scheduled for Friday.

With Michael Ruffles and Bevan Shields

Sydney’s best coverage of the ICAC inquiry

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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.Ben Cubby is an investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement