World News
Charles Perrottet tells NSW corruption inquiry he fabricated claims to developer
Testifying before Icac, the brother of former premier Dominic Perrottet denied fabricating testimony to the watchdog while admitting he misled a property developer.
The short version
- Charles Perrottet testified before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac), admitting he fabricated political updates and influence to keep property developer Jean Nassif paying lobbying fees.
- Counsel assisting the inquiry accused Perrottet of constructing evidence and lying to the commission after his testimony contradicted statements from a private June examination.
- The inquiry is probing whether Liberal figures sought prohibited political donations, though former premier Dominic Perrottet is not implicated in any wrongdoing.
- Property developer Jean Nassif, who left Australia in 2022, is scheduled to give evidence to the commission via video link from Lebanon.
Key facts
- Charles Perrottet admitted to Icac that he regularly misled property developer Jean Nassif and made up contacts at the NSW Planning Delivery Unit to encourage payments for lobbying work.[The Guardian]
- Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC accused Perrottet of lying to the commission and adjusting his testimony after contradictions emerged regarding a $148,500 cheque collected in January 2021.[The Guardian]
- Perrottet denied allegations that he sought prohibited political donations from Nassif, maintaining that the funds were for legitimate commercial and lobbying advice.[The Guardian]
- The watchdog presented evidence that Perrottet's wife, Anita Perrottet, received $660,999 over two and a half years for strategic and marketing advice connected to the lobbying arrangements.[The Guardian]
- Former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet is not named as a person of interest and faces no allegations of wrongdoing in the inquiry.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Whether payments routed through advisory firms constituted genuine consulting fees or disguised prohibited political donations remains a core dispute before the commission.[The Guardian]
- Discrepancies remain unresolved between Charles Perrottet's testimony and prior statements by his wife regarding who attended meetings about the invoicing structure.[The Guardian]