Arabic version: جان نصيف يمثل عن بُعد في تحقيق آيكاك في نيو ساوث ويلز

According to The Guardian, property developer Jean Nassif appeared at a NSW Icac inquiry by video link from Beirut, saying he did not want legal advice and intended to give evidence about his 25-year career in Australia.

Nassif, wearing a white open-collared shirt, told presiding commissioner Fabian Gleeson SC that he was appearing from his bedroom in Beirut. The video connection was occasionally interrupted. Gleeson explained that Nassif had not been compelled to give evidence and had a right to silence.

Asked whether he wanted legal advice, Nassif said: “I don’t wish to have legal advice. I’m going to speak my heart, and I’m going to say exactly what happened with me in my whole entire career for 25 years in Australia. I’m willing to answer any question … I have no issues.”

Nassif left Australia for Lebanon in 2022 after an investigation found dozens of defects in three residential developments constructed by his company, Toplace. Icac is examining an allegation that Liberal figures anticipated receiving $2m in prohibited donations from Nassif in exchange for political outcomes, including damage to the career of NSW Liberal minister David Elliott and the removal of building commissioner David Chandler. Nassif has previously denied wrongdoing.

In federal question time, opposition leader Angus Taylor cited modelling from Aussie Home Loans that he said showed 20% of people who bought homes in the past three years were “trapped in mortgage prison”. Prime minister Anthony Albanese responded that Reserve Bank data showed less than 1% of mortgage holders were in negative equity. He also said ABS data showed 8,468 investors signed up to build a new home in the June quarter and that more than 660,000 new homes had been built under the Labor government.