Charles Perrottet, brother of former New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, appeared before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Friday, acknowledging his awareness of fugitive property developer Jean Nassif’s attempts to gain influence within the Liberal Party.
During his testimony, Charles Perrottet said he frequently received direct calls from Nassif, who complained about various development projects and figures within the party, including former minister David Elliott. Perrottet admitted to engaging with Nassif partly to maintain a rapport that could help him obtain information regarding allegations surrounding the developer.
“I wanted to appease him. I humoured him at times because I had an ulterior motive to seek some information from him in regard to allegations that had been around,” Perrottet told the inquiry. While he provided Nassif with updates about Liberal Party activities, he emphasized that his words to the developer did not necessarily reflect his actions within the party.
ICAC is examining allegations that Nassif made unlawful donations to Liberal Party members in exchange for assistance in advancing his interests. Among the key issues under investigation are efforts to remove former building commissioner David Chandler and to undermine the political career of David Elliott.
Earlier in the day, Charles Perrottet’s wife, Alice Perrottet, continued her testimony, marking her second day under questioning. Text messages presented during the hearing indicated her involvement in discussions surrounding internal Liberal Party disputes during the period when Dominic Perrottet was assuming the premiership.
In one message, Charles Perrottet referenced a lengthy conversation with his brother Dominic, who expressed gratitude “for everything, not just this weekend, but the last 20 years to get here.” In a separate exchange, when asked if David Elliott would be excluded from a ministry position, Charles replied, “I didn’t ask ... We execute the prick as soon as partyroom is over.” When questioned about the meaning of this message, Alice Perrottet said she was unsure if it referred to Elliott.
The inquiry also scrutinized payments made to Alice Perrottet’s company, Macquarie Consulting, from entities named Beckington and JPG Advisory. Over approximately two and a half years, the company received around $661,000, despite Ms Perrottet maintaining there was no formal written work accompanying the fees because her advisory services were provided verbally.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Peggy Dwyer SC, questioned the legitimacy of this arrangement, highlighting the substantial payments without documented evidence of work performed. Alice Perrottet, who is not considered a person of interest in the investigation, reaffirmed that her work was genuine and delivered through oral advice.
The inquiry continues to probe the relationships between developers and political figures and the possible misuse of donations within the Liberal Party.