ICAC probe into NSW Liberal Party electoral fraud allegations enters third week

A Liberal Party lobbyist named in an anti-corruption probe ensnaring the highest echelons of the NSW branch has been “suspended” from the party, as the explosive inquiry enters its third week.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is holding public hearings into allegations a secretive conservative Christian group within the state branch of the Liberal Party accepted prohibited donations, including from fugitive property developer Jean Nassif and hotelier Michael O’Hara, to bolster conservative ranks within party branches.

The inquiry has been told funds from Mr O’Hara were managed through fake invoices through consulting firm Beckington, established by Reformers associate Jeremy Greenwood alongside co-accused Christian Ellis.

Mr Greenwood attended school with former premier Dominic Perrottet – who has not been accused of any wrongdoing – and his brothers Charles and Jean-Claude. Both Charles and Jean-Claude Perrottet are named in the ICAC investigation.

The firm also did work for Catholic Schools NSW under former chief executive Dallas McInerney, who is named in the probe.

Robert Assaf, who worked for Beckington and Catholic Schools NSW, is also named in the probe, and gave evidence to the inquiry last week.

Giving evidence on Monday, Mr Greenwood said he developed a close friendship with Mr Assaf after he left Canberra in 2019, where he worked as a staffer for current Nationals leader Matt Canavan.

“I’ve always been fond of him,” he said.

Likewise, Mr Greenwood described Jean-Claude Perrottet as a friend, who he went on walks with during COVID-19 lockdowns. He also maintained relationships with Dominic and Claude Perrottet.

Mr Ellis, who lives in the United Kingdom and claimed to not be able to participate in the probe, was groomsman at Mr Greenwood’s wedding, the hearing was told.

Mr Greenwood said Mr Ellis had not made clear to him any intention to return to Australia, but that “he wants to” give evidence to the inquiry.

He denied, however, that he was conveying such a message from Mr Ellis.

“He hasn’t asked me to convey that at all,” he said.

‘Social level’

Mr Greenwood told the Commission he was aware of the Reformers and was “interested in their ideas”, but did not consider himself an active participant.

He said he understood the goal of the group was to recruit more conservatives to Liberal Party branches, but that most of his dealing with the group was “at a social level”.

“I’m close friends with these people … they hold these talks and they do these things and often the recruitment is attached, but most of the engagement I had with these would have been at a pub or I’ve been dragged into a group chat,” he said.

However, the inquiry was told Mr Greenwood was aware of a factional list held by the Reformers and the group’s bank account.

In an November 2, 2018 message, Mr Assaf asked Mr Greenwood if he was able to attend an induction session.

“You say ‘I plan on it’,” counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer said.

“Were you telling a fib to your friend or did you plan on attending?”

Mr Greenwood replied: “I would have been trying to appease him … there’s no way I would have driven from Canberra to Sydney for that.”

In another exchange which referred to “a mandate on the abortion Bill” with Mr Assaf, Mr Dwyer questioned whether Mr Greenwood was “giving suggestions” about how to promote the work.

Mr Greenwood said he was “not sure” why he was asking about the Bill, noting that he “did do some work for the church”.

He did not recall the exchange.

Earlier, Mr Greenwood said he had been emailed by the Liberal Party “the other day suspending me”.

“I wrote back saying I didn’t know I was a member. Please accept my resignation,” he said.

The inquiry was told Mr Greenwood joined the party between 2016-17, but had only attended two branch meetings, while he served as staffer for former immigration minister Philip Ruddock.

ICAC does not make findings of criminal misconduct, and instead refers potential matters to police. No people named are accused of wrongdoing, only that they have been named in the probe.

Catholic Schools CEO

Mr Greenwood told the inquiry former Catholic Schools chief executive Dallas McInerney had political aspirations.

However, “three times he said no”, Mr Greenwood said.

“Certainly a lot of people said he was due for the Senate, but, I mean, he strongly supported (former Liberal senator) Jim Molan (for the position).

“I don’t think there was another preselection, as mentioned, for that.”

Mr McInerney stepped down as chief executive after being named in the probe.

Labor people ‘fun’

Mr Greenwood described a range of work done with Mr Nassif, who is on the lam in Lebanon.

“There was an element in the style of public affairs. He had a lot of media issues going on at the time,” he said.

“It was sort of strategic counsel and telling him to calm down, take a breath, focus on projects and so on.

“It became quite varied, so a fair bit of work.”

The inquiry was told Mr Greenwood introduced Sharangan Maheswaran, a Labor Strathfield councillor and employee of Mr Nassif’s Toplace, to Shane de Kuawe, a private investigator.

Asked about his relationship with Mr Maheswaran, who is named in the probe, Mr Greenwood said he got along with and liked “people from Labor”.

“(They) are fun to hang out with. We formed a good friendship,” he said.

“We kept in touch. I would always seek his advice on things.

“I didn’t have a good understanding of different laws, and he was always great at deconstructing them for me.”

Mr Maheswaran was one of Beckington’s first clients, the hearing was told.

More to come...