Charles Perrottet repeatedly denies taking payments from developer for political outcomes in Icac hearing
Perrottet Denies Taking Developer Payments
Wanderstayfinder.com – Charles Perrottet repeatedly denies taking payments from a Sydney property developer in exchange for political outcomes, yet his Thursday testimony before the Independent Commission Against Corruption revealed he may have routinely misled a close associate about his lobbying activities. The concession sharpened the commission's line of questioning into a web of messages, meetings, and factional arrangements spanning 2020 to 2023.
Speaking before the commission, the younger brother of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged he might have "regularly lied" to Christian Ellis, a named figure in the ICAC's allegations, to project an image of active political engagement. When counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC pressed whether he would "regularly lie to Christian Ellis at that time to tell him you were doing some things and not others?", Perrottet replied: "I may have," adding the motive might have been simply "to sound supportive."
"I may have," Perrottet told the commission, suggesting the deception might have been "to sound supportive."
The Cherrybrook Message and Its Aftermath
The exchange that drew particular scrutiny originated in April 2020, when Jean Nassif's Cherrybrook development proposal was rejected after Hills shire council declined to back the plan. Jeremy Greenwood, another conservative factional figure named in the inquiry, messaged Ellis expressing alarm about losing Toplace — Nassif's development company — as a client. The text included the line: "Charles fucked this whole thing."
Perrottet told the commission he did not know what that message meant. He was then shown a subsequent exchange with Ellis in which he outlined steps to assist Toplace developments, including a phone call he claimed he would make to Robyn Preston, the NSW Liberal MP and former Hills shire councillor. On Thursday, Perrottet said he could not recall making that call. Dwyer seized on the discrepancy, suggesting the fabricated account of political activity was itself the evidence before the commission — a narrative designed to obscure active steps "clearly set out in this text." Perrottet rejected the characterization with a single word: "No."
What the Commission Is Investigating
The ICAC inquiry centres on an allegation that conservative factional figures — Perrottet, Greenwood, and Ellis — received prohibited donations totalling $2 million from Nassif or Toplace between 2020 and 2023. In return, the commission alleges, they delivered political outcomes for the developer and recruited or renewed Liberal party members in targeted local government areas, a practice known as branch stacking. Branch stacking itself is not unlawful, but the inquiry examines whether it was funded through channels that breached electoral funding rules.
Perrottet has previously told the commission that he would deliberately mislead Nassif about the nature of his political work, adding what he described as a "political flavour" to advice in order to chase up payments for genuine lobbying conducted through Beckington, a company controlled by Ellis and Greenwood. On Thursday he extended that admission of deception to his relationship with Ellis himself. Charles Perrottet repeatedly denies taking direct payments, but the commission is probing whether the arrangement operated through intermediaries in ways that still contravened electoral funding law.
Greenwood's Payment Ultimatum
The commission also heard a 2021 message from Greenwood to Sharangan Maheswaran, a Toplace executive named in a separate allegation. In it, Greenwood pressed for payment from Nassif, warning that otherwise "Charles is just going to cut the relationship." Maheswaran offered to relay the message, but Greenwood expressed concern that Nassif might interpret it as a threat.
"Most certainly, but sometimes JN [Jean Nassif] gives into threats," Maheswaran wrote back.
Greenwood elaborated that he wanted Nassif to understand: "yes, sure, we're all friends, but Charles can't keep exhausting the capital he has, which he gets on the back of other people's work in the faction … while then having to make excuses because our agreements weren't honoured." Maheswaran, who has denied any wrongdoing, is scheduled to appear before the commission next week, as is Greenwood. Under sustained questioning from Dwyer, Perrottet rejected the suggestion that it was "clear as day" that Greenwood shared his view — as expressed to Nassif — that money had to be handed over to secure political outcomes. Again, his answer was a single word: "No."
FAQ
What is the ICAC investigating in this case? The commission is examining whether conservative Liberal factional figures received $2 million in prohibited donations from developer Jean Nassif or his company Toplace between 2020 and 2023, and whether political outcomes and branch-stacking activity were delivered in return.
Who is Charles Perrottet and why is he before the ICAC? He is the younger brother of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet and a named figure in the commission's allegations. He appears as a witness to answer questions about messages, meetings, and lobbying arrangements tied to the Cherrybrook development proposal and subsequent factional activity.
What is branch stacking and is it illegal? Branch stacking refers to recruiting or renewing party members in targeted local government areas to influence factional balance. The practice itself is not unlawful, but the ICAC is examining whether it was funded through channels that breached electoral funding rules.
When will other witnesses appear? Sharangan Maheswaran and Jeremy Greenwood are both scheduled to appear before the commission the week following Perrottet's Thursday testimony.