Arabic version: لجنة مكافحة الفساد تستمع إلى أن بيروتيه عمل لصالح «المصلحين» أثناء توظيفه

According to ABC News, Jean-Claude Perrottet told the Independent Commission Against Corruption he carried out factional duties for the Reformers while working for veteran Liberal MP Damien Tudehope. The Reformers are a conservative Christian splinter group within the NSW Liberal Party’s right faction.

The commission is investigating Mr Perrottet and other Liberal Party figures over possible breaches of donation laws. The allegations emerged in a 2022 parliamentary speech in which Liberal MP Ray Williams alleged that disgraced developer Jean Nassif had given money to Liberal Party operatives in exchange for favourable outcomes for developments in the Hills Shire area.

Under questioning from Counsel Assisting Juliet Curtin, Mr Perrottet agreed it was not uncommon for him to work on Reformers matters during hours at Mr Tudehope’s office. He said he was unsure whether Mr Tudehope knew, and doubted he had read a document stating political staffers were prohibited from doing party work while on the clock. Mr Tudehope has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Mr Perrottet left Mr Tudehope’s office in 2019. The inquiry examined a 2020 message in which he expressed frustration about not being paid for Reformers work. He agreed the message sounded as though he had left his job on the basis that he would be paid for factional work, but denied that was the only reason. He also said that, “on occasion, maybe”, he paid for Liberal Party memberships for other people because of pressure connected to the Reformers’ branch-stacking work.

Mr Tudehope earlier told the inquiry he leaked a confidential report concerning alleged branch stacking and donation breaches to Reformer Jeremy Greenwood. NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said she would consider Mr Tudehope’s future after the inquiry, while maintaining he would not return to the shadow cabinet during the hearings. Jean-Claude Perrottet is due to return as a witness on Thursday, and his brother Charles is also expected to appear. Dominic Perrottet, who referred the allegations to ICAC in 2022, is not accused of wrongdoing.