ICAC told of 's**t sheet' aimed at allegedly taking down former minister

A former minister was allegedly targeted in a document to damage his career, the corruption watchdog has heard. A former Liberal staffer told the ICAC of a "shit sheet" containing a list of political and personal allegations about David Elliott. Mr Elliott declined to comment to the ABC but rejected "all the accusations" in a statement reported by other media outlets. The NSW corruption watchdog has heard senior Liberal Party operatives created a "David Elliott shit sheet" in alleged attempts to damage the former state minister's career. On his second day of evidence at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), former Liberal staffer Dylan Whitelaw was asked about the document containing a list of political and personal allegations about Mr Elliott. Part of the ICAC probe is examining whether donations linked to fugitive property developer Jean Nassif were exchanged with lobbyists Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis for political favours, including targeting the then-Liberal frontbencher. Mr Whitelaw said he did not remember preparing the specific document but acknowledged helping compile a list of Mr Elliott's past controversies, including an incident where he was photographed firing a gun at a Corrective Services NSW property. He said he understood that Mr Greenwood and Mr Ellis wanted to damage Mr Elliott's political standing, but believed their actions reflected an internal factional conflict within the Liberal Party, rather than being directed by Mr Nassif. "I think it comes back to the standard factional warfare that occurs inside political parties," Mr Whitlelaw told the commission. "The right wing of the Liberal Party had a hatred of the centre-right or the [federal MP] Alex Hawke faction, of which Mr Elliott was a leading figure." Under questioning from Counsel Assisting Juliet Curtin, the ICAC also heard Mr Greenwood and Mr Ellis claimed to have photographs of Mr Elliott allegedly involved in an extramarital affair. Mr Whitelaw said the pair kept the details "very, very secretive," saying he was not shown images or told specific information. "They just told me that they had photographs and then it was that 'He was done, he was done' but nothing ever came out of it," Mr Whitelaw said. Elliott reportedly denies allegations When asked for a response to the allegations, Mr Elliott declined to respond to questions from the ABC. The Sydney Morning Herald has reported Mr Elliott released a statement denying all accusations made by Mr Whitelaw "and his colleagues on the religious right of the Liberal Party". "As most of Sydney knows I'm a devoted husband of 30 years to a beautiful woman who doesn't deserve to be treated like this by the party she has sacrificed so much for," he said in the statement. "Needless to say I'm looking forward to the possibility of providing my own observations should the commission see fit to invite me to give evidence."