The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption on Monday began examining alleged collusion between developer Jean Nassif and state Liberal Party powerbrokers, including the brothers of former premier Dominic Perrottet.
In an inquiry dubbed Operation Rosny, the watchdog is investigating if political donations from Nassif and his development company Toplace were taken between 2020 and 2023 in return for favourable outcomes.
"I've got my hand on the state government and you're going to see changes," Nassif vowed to an associate of his in a recorded phone call played on Monday to the commission.
Political donations from developers have been banned in NSW since 2009.
Counsel assisting the commission Peggy Dwyer SC began her opening statement with a bold adage.
"Money in politics, as in other spheres of life, has the potential to corrupt," she said.
Persons of interest were "setting up companies in the name of spouses to hide the money trail, creating bogus invoices and the use of encrypted messaging", she said.
Dr Dwyer presented three main allegations of corrupt conduct from 2019 to 2023 all linked to Nassif.
These even ensnared Labor councillors in another council accused of blackmail.
A right-wing faction of the state Liberals, known as the Reformers, was identified as being pivotal in the various schemes.
They included, most prominently, Jean-Claude Perrottet and Charles Perrottet, whose older brother Dominic became premier in October 2021.
Dr Dwyer described Charles Perrottet as "the muscle of the right faction of the NSW Liberal Party".
"He acted as the negotiator and behind the scenes an orchestrator with respect to pursuing factional agendas and deals," she said.
Charles Perrottet and other Liberal-affiliated lobbyists anticipated receiving $2 million from Nassif that they would split equally, the commission heard on Monday.
"The right faction's money train had already left the station and was on track to be extremely lucrative as a journey because Mr Nassif, owner of Toplace, was on board," Dr Dwyer noted.
She revealed a December 2019 meeting took place between the two men where Nassif pledged up to $1 million to the Liberal Party to branch-stack candidates at the Hills Shire Council in northwest Sydney.
In January 2021, Charles Perrottet sent a message to Nassif asking for $148,500 as a cheque to a lobbying firm, bypassing electoral funding laws.
"Any chance I could drop over today to pick up that assistance for the upcoming pre-selections?," Charles Perrottet allegedly wrote.
"I'll get it ready for you at the office," Nassif replied.
The commission heard an expletive-laden call between Nassif and Charles Perrottet.
He particularly complained about building commissioner David Chandler, police minister David Elliott, and long-time shock jock Ray Hadley holding up his development projects.
Jean-Claude Perrottet, who allegedly fled to Fiji when called to appear as a witness during a 2023 parliamentary inquiry examining similar claims to those before the corruption watchdog, was also involved.
Dr Dwyer read texts between him and Jeremy Greenwood, a lobbyist for Catholic Schools NSW.
"Hey, so you know how I'm good to you and help you and give you all your filthy schools money, and put up with your f**ing whining," Greenwood wrote.
"Don't put that in writing," Jean-Claude Perrottet wrote back with Mr Greenwood assuring him it would automatically be deleted.
Dominic Perrottet, whose party was defeated at the March 2023 election, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Nassif is being pursued by NSW Police after a two-year fraud investigation and is thought to be in Lebanon.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest, while 57 companies linked with Toplace are in administration.
Hotelier Michael O'Hara is due to give evidence later on Monday to the commission, chaired by assistant commissioner Fabian Gleeson.
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