Arabic version: مفوضية مكافحة الفساد تبحث صلات «المدارس الكاثوليكية في نيو ساوث ويلز» بمجموعة «المصلحين»
According to The Guardian, hearings in Operation Rosny at the New South Wales Independent Commission against Corruption have examined payments by Catholic Schools NSW to people and companies linked to the Reformers, a group of Liberal operatives. Icac is investigating allegations that payments were illegal political donations because they were used for political purposes, exceeded donation caps and were not declared.
Catholic Schools NSW manages $3.8bn in government grants and represents the Catholic school community in the state. Its chief executive, Dallas McInerney, gave evidence after standing aside during the inquiry, as did board member John Perrottet, father of former premier Dominic Perrottet. McInerney acknowledged he was a prominent member of the Liberal Party’s NSW right faction and chaired the right-elected leadership meeting.
McInerney was questioned over the employment and consultancy arrangements of several people connected with the Reformers. Jean-Claude Perrottet, Dominic Perrottet’s younger brother, worked at Catholic Schools between 2023 and 2026 and was promoted in May before being made redundant in June. McInerney said the redundancy was due to an internal restructure. Jean-Claude Perrottet denies wrongdoing.
The inquiry also considered contracts involving Beckington, set up by Christian Ellis in July 2019, and JPG Advisory, run by Jeremy Greenwood. Catholic Schools paid Beckington $130,000 over two years, while Jean-Claude Perrottet received 50% of estimated fees of $135,000 paid to JPG for acting as a conduit during a change in consultancy arrangements. McInerney said the switch involved sensitivities and that Jean-Claude negotiated fees and other matters.
Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin suggested McInerney would pay Beckington under a “sham arrangement” so funds could reach Reformers for factional work; McInerney disagreed. Greenwood has said he was not a Reformer and denies wrongdoing. Rob Assaf, a founding Reformer, also denies wrongdoing, while Damien Tudehope and Dylan Whitelaw are not accused of wrongdoing.
