Reformers Cofounder Draws Braveheart Parallel in NSW Liberal Factional Dispute
ICAC Hearings Reveal Internal Party Dynamics and Legal Misunderstandings
Wanderstayfinder.com – Robert Assaf, a thirty-year-old member of the Reformers—a collective of young conservative Liberal figures currently under scrutiny—testified before the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday. During his appearance, Assaf likened the factional struggles within the NSW Liberal party to scenes from Mel Gibson’s epic film Braveheart, describing the internal divisions as resembling “warring kingdoms” that periodically united for major confrontations. The Reformers cofounder also revealed that the group operated under the assumption that electoral legislation did not govern their activities.
The commission is examining whether several Liberal personalities, including Assaf, improperly solicited or received contributions from prohibited sources. These donations allegedly exceeded statutory limits or remained unreported, serving as incentives to recruit or retain party members through a mechanism termed “branch-stacking.” While the practice itself carries no legal prohibition, investigators are determining whether the Reformers’ conduct potentially violated NSW’s Electoral Funding Act.
“My observations at the time were, the right faction was like – I’m not sure if you’ve seen Braveheart – but like these warring kingdoms, and they would slaughter each other, and then every now and then they’d come together for a big fight,” Assaf told the commission.
According to Assaf, who acknowledged being one of two individuals who established the Reformers in 2017, the organization emerged amid a significant ideological division within the Liberal party. This split pitted the religious conservative hard right against the more moderate centre-right wing. The Reformers advocated for stricter conservative positions on several contentious issues, including same-sex marriage, transgender rights, abortion access, and euthanasia legislation.
When questioned regarding his understanding of donation regulations, Assaf explained that the group believed electoral statutes did not apply to their operations. “Because it was an electoral law, we’re not campaigning in elections in that sense,” he informed counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC. “We’re internal Liberal party machinations. My understanding the whole way through was, until very recently … was it’s internal. It doesn’t count as anything to do with electoral laws or any other law.”
Assaf also addressed allegations concerning the Reformers’ financial relationship with Jean Nassif, a fugitive property developer. The group faces accusations of accepting approximately $2 million in payments from Nassif in exchange for securing favorable outcomes that benefited the developer. Defending the organization, Assaf characterized the Reformers as simply young individuals navigating complex political landscapes. “The Reformers sound really spooky in the media right now, but it was just a bunch of 20-year-old people trying to figure things out,” he stated.
His testimony followed two days of evidence from Dylan Whitelaw, a former Liberal staffer connected to the Reformers but not formally named in the allegations. During the proceedings, federal opposition leader Angus Taylor evaded additional inquiries after asserting he had never contributed financially to the Reformers. “I’ve answered these questions yesterday. I’m not going to give a running commentary on it,” Taylor remarked.
“Angus was around it, but I don’t think he was really that involved,” Assaf said. “He definitely wasn’t opposed.”
Assaf testified that Taylor, along with other state and federal Liberal politicians, was aware of and supportive of the Reformers’ endeavors. He similarly described former NSW Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet as being “pretty absent in the whole thing, but supportive from what I understood.” Neither Taylor nor Perrottet faces any allegations of misconduct.
The commission learned that Assaf attended the same independent Catholic school as Jean-Claude and Charles Perrottet, as well as Jeremy Greenwood, another Reformers member. Following a year spent in a Catholic seminary, Assaf pursued a career in federal parliament, working for various ministers, senators, and MPs, including Tony Abbott, who reportedly delivered speeches at Reformers recruitment gatherings.
Despite experiencing an “icky feeling” about entering politics, Assaf ultimately joined the Liberal party after hearing Damien Tudehope speak at the Sydney University Liberal club in 2015. Tudehope, a NSW upper house member, presented arguments against the Safe Schools program, which aimed to protect gay and transgender students. Assaf described Tudehope as “a warrior for the values that he cared about” and noted that the politician subsequently addressed numerous Reformers events. Tudehope, who is not accused of wrongdoing, temporarily stepped aside from his positions as shadow attorney general and Liberal upper house leader following the allegations.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Warring kingdoms?
Warring kingdoms is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does Warring kingdoms matter?
Warring kingdoms matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.
