The short version
- Text messages read during the inquiry suggest federal opposition leader Angus Taylor was involved in a financial dispute with the Reformers group regarding payments.
- Jean-Claude Perrottet testified he could not recall why he received thousands of dollars from a lobbying firm linked to the faction, despite earning a modest salary at the time.
- Investigators are examining allegations that Liberal figures accepted prohibited donations from banned donors in exchange for political outcomes and membership recruitment.
The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption has intensified its scrutiny of financial ties between hard-right factional groups and prominent Liberal Party figures, with new evidence pointing to a potential dispute involving federal opposition leader Angus Taylor. During testimony on Thursday, investigators presented text messages from September 2021 that appear to reference Taylor’s financial relationship with the Reformers, a group at the center of the current corruption inquiry. The messages, sent by Reformers co-founder Christian Ellis, indicated the group had no funds available at the time, prompting a discussion about why resources were scarce.
According to counsel assisting the inquiry, Juliet Curtin, the exchange suggested that Taylor had either already provided money to the Reformers or was actively refusing to do so. When questioned about this implication, Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, acknowledged that the texts sounded like they were making that suggestion. However, he stated that he had not recalled these specific messages until they were raised during the proceedings. Taylor himself is not named in the ICAC’s formal allegations and has previously denied making any payments to the group.
The inquiry has focused heavily on the flow of money through Beckington, a lobbying company established by Ellis and fellow Reformer Jeremy Greenwood in 2019. Investigators have shown that Beckington received payments from Michael O’Hara, a hotelier who is a prohibited donor under campaign finance laws. Previous testimony from Reformers co-founder Robert Assaf indicated that O’Hara threatened to withdraw his financial support after the group adopted an anti-vaccination stance, which conflicted with O’Hara’s interests. The watchdog is investigating whether these funds were used for illegal political activities, including branch stacking, which involves recruiting or renewing party members using illicit donations.
Jean-Claude Perrottet faced intense questioning regarding his own financial transactions with Beckington between April and August 2021. Records show he received four monthly payments of $5,000 and one payment of $5,500 from the lobbying firm. At the time, Perrottet was employed at Medallion Finance with a base salary of $55,000. When asked to explain these substantial injections of cash into his account, he expressed uncertainty, suggesting the payments might have been for work performed or possibly repayment of a personal debt owed by Ellis. He emphasized that he and Ellis were friends in their twenties, implying a casual nature to their financial interactions.
Presiding Commissioner Fabian Gleeson challenged Perrottet’s lack of recollection, asking if his inability to remember the purpose of the payments was because no actual consulting or marketing work had been performed for Ellis during that period. Perrottet conceded that this possibility existed but maintained that Ellis might have simply owed him money. The inquiry has previously established that Beckington issued fake invoices for consulting advice to legitimize payments from O’Hara, raising questions about the legitimacy of other transactions involving the firm and its associates.
Beyond the Taylor-related texts, the inquiry uncovered additional evidence of financial support for the Reformers from other Liberal figures. Testimony revealed that the late former federal Liberal vice-president Teena McQueen may have contributed funds to support the group’s activities. Reformers associate Dylan Whitelaw previously told investigators that McQueen would pay for bar tabs at factional events, while Assaf noted that she provided a venue for training sessions and a call center for recruitment efforts. These details paint a picture of a network relying on various forms of financial and logistical support from party insiders.
Further text messages read to Perrottet suggested that McQueen may have donated $500 directly to the Reformers through Dallas McInerney, the chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW, who has been named in the ICAC’s allegations. Perrottet stated he did not know whether McQueen had made such a donation. The inquiry is also examining an allegation that between 2020 and 2023, Liberal figures including Greenwood, Ellis, and Charles Perrottet solicited or accepted donations from fugitive property developer Jean Nassif and his company, Toplace. These payments were allegedly exchanged for the pursuit of specific political outcomes sought by Nassif.
As the investigation progresses, the ICAC has announced its witnesses for the following week, including Jeremy Greenwood, who is named in two separate allegations. Dallas McInerney is also expected to give evidence. The scope of the inquiry continues to expand, touching on multiple aspects of political funding and factional influence within the Liberal Party. While Dominic Perrottet is not accused of wrongdoing and is not named in the allegations, his family members remain central figures in the unfolding narrative. The commission’s work highlights the complex web of financial relationships that underpin factional politics in New South Wales.
Sources behind this briefing
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- The Guardian World↗Texts suggest Angus Taylor ‘paid money to the Reformers ... or was refusing to’, Icac inquiry hears
