Source : the age
After Charles Perrottet wraps evidence today, the commission will next week call Jeremy Greenwood back to the witness box for another round of questioning.
We’ll then hear from Sharangan Maheswaran, once Labor councillor at Strathfield Council and Toplace lawyer, as well as former mayor Matthew Blackmore.
Here’s a quick recap of who’s who in the Operation Rosny zoo:
The late British raconteur Quentin Crisp once quipped: “Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne.”
“Colourful racing identity” is a favoured euphemism for Sydney journalists describing a person suspected of being involved in organised crime.
“Tired and emotional” is the well-known British euphemism for parliamentarians or media personalities being incoherently drunk in public.
Hello and welcome back to the Herald’s live coverage of ICAC’s Operation Rosny public hearings.
I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and I’ll be bringing you all the latest news from the hearing room as it happens. Today we’re expecting to wrap up Charles Perrottet’s time in the witness box. He is now on his fifth day of questioning.
Before we kick off, let’s take a look at what we covered yesterday:
- Charles Perrottet couldn’t remember how he obtained three secret audio recordings of his factional nemesis David Elliott, which were sent to former Liberal MP Nathaniel Smith, Christian Ellis, Toplace private investigator Shane De Kauwe and former chief of staff to Anthony Roberts, Chris Spence.
- Perrottet sent the recording to others with the hopes of cleaning up the files to hear what Elliott says, the corruption inquiry heard. The audio was sent just days before his brother Dominic became premier.
- Charles Perrottet brushed off phone tap recordings of Jean Nassif bragging about influence he had in the government, including believing the premier was his best friend, as “bravado”.
- Perrottet would often lie to Nassif and add “political flavour” to their conversations to encourage him to pay bills to Beckington, the company of Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis. Perrottet insisted the large payments were for genuine consulting work.
- Perrottet texted Nassif’s offsider after a dinner he had at Nobu Melbourne with the developer saying: “I told Jean though that the best way to get the building commissioner off his back is to take the fight to Elliot and dismantle his infrastructure. If we can get 189 and Garthowen payments, we can take Parra, Hills, Cumberland councils, and the seat of Castle Hill and completely isolate him. As a result, he’ll be on his knees.” Perrottet said he couldn’t remember what he actually told Nassif.
