Charles Perrottet, the younger brother of former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, has denied allegations that he requested his brother to appoint a cabinet minister to benefit property developer Jean Nassif. This testimony was given during a corruption inquiry conducted by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Friday.
Background of the Inquiry
The inquiry is investigating claims that Charles Perrottet, along with other conservative factional figures, received prohibited donations totaling $2 million from Nassif or his company Toplace between 2020 and 2023. These donations were allegedly made in exchange for political favors, including undermining the career of former NSW Liberal minister David Elliott and the removal of former building commissioner David Chandler, who was scrutinizing defects in Toplace apartments.
Key Testimonies
During the inquiry, Charles Perrottet stated that claims made in an intercepted phone call involving Nassif did not accurately reflect any promises made to him. In the call, which was lawfully intercepted by police on October 2, 2021, Nassif referred to Dominic Perrottet as "my boy" and expressed concerns about a government reshuffle occurring shortly before his brother was selected as premier.
Nassif allegedly stated:
“"This week is going to be the worst week of my life … because we’re reshuffling the government."
He claimed that he had been assured that Elliott and then fair trading minister Kevin Anderson would be removed from their positions.
