In short:
The sister-in-law of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has given evidence at a corruption inquiry into allegations of prohibited political donations.
asserted
sister → give → donations
The commission heard Anita Perrottet was paid $254,666 for three months of consulting work in 2022.
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Perrottet → hear → 2022
Ms Perrottet will continue giving evidence on Friday before her husband Charles takes the stand.
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husband → continue → stand
The NSW corruption watchdog has heard that the wife of a key figure in an inquiry was paid $254,666 for three months of consulting.
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wife → hear → consulting
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is examining allegations that prohibited political donations were funnelled through third parties to support the Liberal-aligned, right-wing faction known as the NSW Reformers and advance the interests of fugitive property developer Jean Nassif.
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donations → examine → Nassif
ICAC is investigating payments made to Ms Perrottet's company, Macquarie Consulting, by lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood's businesses Beckington and JPG Advisory, and whether those payments were for genuine consulting work or used to disguise money allegedly intended for Charles Perrottet.
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payments → investigate → Perrottet
The commission heard Ms Perrottet was paid $254,666 for three months of consulting work in 2022, despite telling the inquiry she mainly provided verbal marketing and strategic advice and could recall little documentation of the work.
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she → hear → work
Counsel assisting the commission, Peggy Dwyer SC, challenged the scale of the payments, which were made through Mr Greenwood's businesses.
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which → assist → businesses
"That's based on a salary of $1 million, Mrs Perrottet … let's get serious," Dr Dwyer said.
"
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Dwyer → base → million
You are giving evidence under oath …
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You → give → oath
Do you seriously suggest that the commission should accept that as truthful evidence that you were entitled to charge $254,666 for work that you actually did … providing an oral sounding board or advice to Jeremy Greenwood for that quarter?"
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you → suggest → quarter
Ms Perrottet insisted the evidence was truthful.
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evidence → insist → ?
Ms Perrottet also told the commission she received a $10,000 monthly retainer from Beckington, without a written or signed agreement.
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she → tell → agreement
She said her work was primarily delivered through conversations with Mr Greenwood, either in person or by phone.
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work → say → phone
Dr Dwyer said the commission had found no evidence of phone calls between Ms Perrottet and Mr Greenwood during the relevant periods.
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commission → say → periods
The commission heard Ms Perrottet could remember only one Beckington client, Greyhound Racing NSW, and that she gave Mr Greenwood advice about the client during face-to-face meetings but could not recall when or where those meetings occurred.
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meetings → hear → meetings
"Are you struggling to remember because it actually didn't happen?" Dr Dwyer asked.
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Dwyer → struggle → ?
The commission was also shown an invoice from Macquarie Consulting for $150,000, covering 12 months of work for Beckington, which was sent by Charles Perrottet.
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which → show → Perrottet
Ms Perrottet could not remember why the invoice had been issued, why Charles Perrottet sent it or why three lump-sum payments subsequently received from Beckington did not reconcile with the $150,000 invoice.
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payments → remember → invoice
Ms Perrottet said she could not recall the details of the fee arrangement but maintained she probably discussed it with Mr Greenwood.
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she → say → Greenwood
The commission also heard evidence that lobbyist Christian Ellis, also a key figure in the inquiry, sent Charles Perrottet instructions about how invoices from Macquarie Consulting should be structured, including the amounts and periods to be billed.
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invoices → hear → amounts
The commission has also ordered Ms Perrottet to provide phone records and messages involving Mr Greenwood and Mr Ellis as it tests her account of the consulting work.
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it → order → work
Ms Perrottet will continue giving evidence on Friday before her husband takes the stand.
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husband → continue → stand
Dominic Perrottet is not accused of any wrongdoing.
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Perrottet → accuse → wrongdoing
The Aporia