Phone taps at ICAC reveal developer's support for Perrottet brother

Phone taps at corruption inquiry show fugitive property developer's support for Perrottet brother Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 6:08pm , updatedThu 6 Aug 2026 at 6:18pm In short: Phone taps played at a corruption inquiry reveal fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered $100,000 to support a brother of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet seeking preselection. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating whether people linked to the NSW Liberal Party solicited funds from prohibited donors. In one conversation played at ICAC, Jean-Claude Perrottet thanked Mr Nassif for his support of the family. Phone taps played to a NSW corruption inquiry have revealed fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered to support the Liberal preselection of one of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet's brothers. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating whether people linked to the NSW Liberal Party solicited funds from prohibited donors and other sources to advance the interests of the right-wing NSW Reformers faction. It is examining whether donations linked to Mr Nassif were also exchanged for political favours, including damaging former minister David Elliott's career and removing building commissioner David Chandler. The inquiry heard the offer during a recorded phone call from June 2021 between Mr Nassif and Reformers member Jean-Claude Perrottet, who told the commission Mr Nassif became his client while working at Medallion Finance. In the recording, Mr Perrottet discussed possible investment opportunities before Mr Nassif turned the conversation to politics, suggesting $100,000 could go to one of the Perrottet's brothers seeking preselection, or alternatively be channelled through Liberal figures Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis. Asked which brother Mr Nassif was referring to, Mr Perrottet said: "I don't know what he's talking about to be honest. It's clear it makes no sense". Counsel assisting the commission, Juliet Curtin, argued the call showed members of the Reformers faction were seeking financial backing for factional activities, and that Mr Nassif was offering to contribute. "I just don't agree with that characterisation, this is obviously just nonsense," Mr Perrottet replied. "You can hear from my tone on the phone." Dominic Perrottet, who referred the allegations to ICAC in 2022, is not accused of any wrongdoing. 'An evil man' In another phone tap, Jean-Claude Perrottet was heard approaching Mr Nassif to discuss potential investment opportunities before the conversation again turned to politics. In the recording, Mr Nassif claimed he was being targeted by Mr Chandler and alleged then-Hornsby MP Matt Kean was working with former minister David Elliott in a bid to replace Dominic Perrottet as premier. Mr Nassif: "They're leading the fight now against your brother. They want to destroy his image. He's a Christian. He's an evil man". Mr Perrottet: "Yeah, I know. I didn't know it was a crime to be Christian these days". Mr Nassif: "You know, I've got all my community behind him". Mr Perrottet: "I appreciate that, Jean". When the discussion turned to factional issues in Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills, Mr Perrottet told Mr Nassif, "Help in that area would be awesome." He was also heard thanking Mr Nassif for his support of the family, saying, "It's making a difference the work you're doing." While giving evidence to the commission, Mr Perrottet described it as a throwaway comment. Fiji trip questioned Last week, the inquiry heard Jean-Claude Perrottet travelled to Fiji during the 2023 parliamentary inquiry into allegations of illegal donations involving Liberal Party operatives and developers. The commission heard Mr Perrottet travelled "with financial assistance from others named in allegations". When asked on Thursday if he went there deliberately to avoid giving evidence at the parliamentary inquiry, Mr Perrottet maintained he believed it was a "sham inquiry". "I went to Fiji because I had I was not in a good place and I didn't want to partake in what I believed is a sham inquiry," Mr Perrottet said.