Branch stacking, fake invoice and shakedowns
Tony Abbott blasts ‘factional weaponisation’
Tony Abbott, the Liberal Party president and close ally of Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, has accused the ICAC of overstepping its remit by becoming involved in an “internal party squabble”.
Abbott, whom Taylor picked as federal president in May, described the religious-right Reformers as a group of enthusiastic young Christians with a strong sense of mission, and argued there was no suggestion of self-enriching corruption.
Abbott acknowledged the Reformers, whose key members provided evidence in the first week of Operation Rosny’s hearings, “might have let their enthusiasm get the better of their judgment.”
However, the former prime minister told this masthead the inquiry seemed to involve one faction weaponising the ICAC against another.
The main players and allegations under scrutiny
This explosive ICAC inquiry has already taken plenty of twists and turns, and with so many players involved from property developers to Liberal Party apparatchiks to Labor Strathfield councillors, lets take another look at what the key allegations are.
- The first allegation is if Liberal Party operatives linked to the Reformers (a religious right-wing group) Christian Ellis, Jeremy Greenwood, Jean-Claude Perrottet and Robert Assaf, solicited or accepted money from prohibited donors and so-called “sham” contracts to further their factional work. That includes donations from prohibited donor and hotelier Michael O’Hara, and allegations then Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney directed funds from the schools body be used to support the Reformers through a bogus consulting contract.
- If Christian Ellis, Jeremy Greenwood and Charles Perrottet solicited and received political donations from fugitive property developer Jean Nassif to support branch stacking activities, allegedly in exchange for outcomes favourable to Nassif. That includes efforts to damage the political career of then MP David Elliott, and efforts to remove then building commissioner David Chandler from his position.
- If Labor Strathfield councillors Sharangan Maheswaran and/or Karen Pensabene engaged in dishonest conduct while in public office, mainly spying and blackmail, towards independent councillor Matthew Blackmore.
Welcome to week two
Good morning and welcome to the Herald’s live coverage of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s blockbuster Operation Rosny hearings.
I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates from today’s evidence, along with analysis from the Herald’s senior writers.
Today we’ll continue to hear from former Catholic Schools NSW staffer and founding member of Liberal Party factional group the Reformers, Robert Assaf. This afternoon the commission is expected to call Damien Tudehope, a current Liberal MP who stood down as shadow attorney general when he discovered he would be asked to appear.
Tudehope is not accused of wrongdoing.
Here’s a recap of what we covered last week:
- Former Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) CEO Dallas McInerney told the commission he wanted to “shake down” Angus Taylor for $10,000 for the Reformers. Text messages from former CSNSW staffer Dylan Whitelaw shown to the commission claimed Taylor agreed to donate $15,000 plus monthly contributions of $3000. Taylor has repeatedly said no payments were made.
- The commission heard evidence from Whitelaw and Assaf that they would do work for the Reformers during the day at CSNSW. Whitelaw estimate Assaf’s work was a 60/40 split – 60 per cent on Reformers, 40 per cent on CSNSW duties. Assaf disputed this, and said he would only do political work after his work for CSNSW was completed.
- Counsel assisting the commission, Dr Peggy Dwyer SC, played phone taps during her opening statement showing fugitive property developer Jean Nassif bragging about his influence over the then-Liberal state government. He called Dominic Perrottet his “boy”, and boasted that the fair trading minister would be replaced with one of his “girls”. Eleni Petinos was appointed to the role shortly after that phone call.
- Michael O’Hara, who the commission has heard provided financial support to the Reformers, withdrew his support after feeling then-premier Dominic Perrottet and prime minister Scott Morrison had gone too “woke”.
- Dwyer said in her opening statement she expects the evidence will show that figures in this investigation – Christian Ellis, Charles Perrottet and Jeremy Greenwood – anticipated they would be paid $2 million in total by Nassif, in exchange for furthering his interests.
- A “shit sheet” was prepared against factional enemy of the Reformers David Elliott, which included the false claim he was having an affair. Elliott strongly denies this, and said he is a devoted husband of 30 years.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
