Dirt files, Fiji trips and Double Bay pubs: Five things we learnt from Operation Rosny week three

If the first rule of ICAC is “don’t lie to ICAC”, the second rule is don’t talk about being summonsed to a secret hearing and what evidence you gave. Maybe the third rule should be: don’t head straight from the ICAC to the pub and chat to another target, as lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood did on June 24 last year.

Greenwood’s appearance as a witness took most of week three at the ICAC’s Operation Rosny, which is examining allegations concerning a right-wing sub-faction of the NSW Liberal Party known as the Reformers, Catholic Schools NSW and business figures in Sydney. Dallas McInerney, the Catholic Schools NSW boss and Liberal powerbroker close to Opposition Leader Angus Taylor also appeared.

Here are five things we learnt.

1. Dirt files are perfectly fine

Creating a “shit sheet” targeting a Liberal cabinet minister was justified, Greenwood told the inquiry, and says he knew the document contained false claims that then-police minister David Elliott was having an affair.

Greenwood described the dossier as a “defensive move” and claimed he was entitled to attack Elliott because there had been “relentless leaks to the media” about him and business partner Christian Ellis.

“I’m allowed to defend myself if I’m having a similar shit sheet about me thrown around,” he said on Tuesday.

A stunned Commissioner Fabian Gleeson, SC, asked: “You mean to suggest … that it’s perfectly proper behaviour by a lobbyist to prepare a document which you call a ‘shit sheet’ on a politician?”

Greenwood replied: “I’m a private citizen as well.”

Greenwood’s three days will not be his last at the inquiry: the commission foreshadowed he would be recalled to give evidence later.

2. Mr Ellis, if you’re listening …

Ellis avoided giving evidence in the 2023 parliamentary inquiry and has so far declined to appear before the ICAC. However, Greenwood has told the commission that Ellis does want to give evidence.

The pair have remained in contact, and Greenwood recently went to visit Ellis in the UK, where he lives.

Greenwood told the commission on Monday that Ellis was keen to give evidence, but had not shared any plans to return to Australia.

At the end of Greenwood’s appearance on Wednesday, counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer, SC, asked if she could take the chance to reiterate that Ellis had been offered the chance to evidence via video.

Gleeson answered: “Yes, you may, and if Mr Ellis is listening, the commission waits for his response.”

3. Who’s the boss?

It emerged that Greenwood paid for his friend Jean-Claude Perrottet to stay in Fiji for two weeks to avoid a 2023 parliamentary inquiry, and gave him $25,000 in loans.

However, the inquiry heard Greenwood hoped now-fugitive developer Jean Nassif would pay for those loans.

Greenwood paid for Perrottet’s flights on his credit card and provided money while he was in Fiji. Greenwood agreed he suggested to another target of the inquiry, Sharangan Maheswaran, that Nassif could cover the cost.

Dwyer asked: “By ‘your boss’ you meant Jean Nassif could pick up the tab … for what you were paying for the premier’s brother Jean-Claude Perrottet to stay in Fiji to avoid a summons to appear at a parliamentary inquiry. Is that correct?”

Greenwood: “Correct.”

4. Gleeson’s patience has its limits

If the hearing sticks to its eight-week schedule (and history says that’s no certainty), we’re more than a quarter of the way through. Presiding commissioner Fabian Gleeson, SC, is keen to be fair but keep things on track.

In one heated portion of evidence, Greenwood snapped at someone in the hearing room, “don’t give me that look”, prompting a swift warning from Gleeson to be respectful.

Greenwood has tested Gleeson’s patience the most so far, and one of his remarks about Elliott “stalking my mother right now though, isn’t he, on LinkedIn” earned him a stern rebuke.

“You definitely should not have said that, Mr Greenwood,” Gleeson said. Greenwood apologised.

5. McInerney shakes it off (Taylor’s version)

For weeks, the federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has been trying to shake off questions about whether he had been approached for money to support the Reformers.

Texts from Reformer Dylan Whitelaw claimed that McInerney secured ongoing donations from Taylor, but the Catholic Schools NSW boss suggested Whitelaw may have lied or boasted.

McInerney said he approached Taylor for money but denied it was for Reformers. He told the inquiry the use of the word “shakedown” was “just a turn of phrase”.

What we expect from next week

The ICAC is having a long weekend, publicly at least, but promises to be back on Wednesday with more from McInerney before what is expected to be a bang with the appearance of David Elliott. The former Baulkham Hills MP is not a person of interest, but rather a factional opponent of the Reformers and an enemy of Nassif.

On Thursday, we’ll hear from Cassandra Lawry, who was chief of staff to MP Eleni Petinos when she was minister for small business and fair trading in the last Coalition government.

Petinos is due to appear on Friday, and would be the second now-sitting MP to do so, after Damien Tudehope.

The inquiry previously heard phone taps that recorded Nassif bragging about his influence in the state government.

Petinos was not named as a person of interest in this inquiry.

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