Liberal figure denies giving 'ridiculous' evidence about Perrottet sister-in-law's payments at Icac
A New South Wales anti-corruption inquiry heard Liberal factional figure Jeremy Greenwood reject claims his evidence about payments to former premier Dominic Perrottet's sister-in-law was false. The probe centres on roughly $2m in payments allegedly from fugitive developer Jean Nassif.
The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) continued hearings on Wednesday into payments allegedly made to Liberal figures Charles Perrottet, Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis by fugitive developer Jean Nassif or his company Toplace.
Counsel assisting the commission, Peggy Dwyer, questioned Greenwood about his earlier evidence that Anita Perrottet, sister-in-law of former premier Dominic Perrottet, provided lobbying firms Beckington and JPG Advisory with advice from a "mum's perspective" — including on deterring minors from vaping and on greyhound industry terminology.
Dwyer put to Greenwood that Anita Perrottet's children were around two and three years old at the time she gave the vaping advice, questioning the credibility of his account. Greenwood initially said he did not know the children's ages and did not think it relevant, before the presiding commissioner, Fabian Gleeson, told him to answer the question directly; he then said he presumed the children were under 10.
Greenwood also denied giving false evidence that Anita Perrottet coined the phrase "zero unnecessary euthanasia" regarding greyhounds, despite the term appearing in a 2017 industry reform panel report predating her involvement, according to Greenwood's own account.
Invoices totalling $660,999 were paid to Anita Perrottet's company, Macquarie Consulting, over two-and-a-half years. Dwyer has alleged this represented Charles Perrottet's share of money from Nassif, while both Charles and Anita Perrottet maintain the payments covered strategic, marketing and development advice.
Dominic Perrottet is not named as a person of interest in the Icac allegations and faces no accusations of wrongdoing. The inquiry continues, though Ellis, who relocated to the UK earlier this year, is not expected to appear.
