Key facts
- Jeremy Greenwood denied giving "ridiculous" evidence to Icac about Anita Perrottet's advice.
- Icac is investigating allegations that Greenwood, Charles Perrottet, and Christian Ellis shared in $2 million in payments from developer Jean Nassif.
- Greenwood denied that payments to Anita Perrottet's company were for "mum's perspective" on lobbying clients.
- Greenwood rejected suggestions that he "outsmarted himself" by providing false evidence about the term "zero unnecessary euthanasia".
- Anita Perrottet stated payments were for "strategic and marketing advice" she provided.
- Charles Perrottet stated payments were "holistic" covering his advice to Nassif and his wife's work.
Jeremy Greenwood, a Liberal factional figure, has rejected suggestions he provided "ridiculous" and false evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) concerning advice allegedly given by Anita Perrottet, the sister-in-law of NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Icac is investigating claims that Greenwood, Charles Perrottet, and Christian Ellis received approximately $2 million in payments between 2020 and 2023 from fugitive developer Jean Nassif or his company, Toplace, in exchange for political outcomes.
During questioning on Wednesday, Greenwood denied that invoices totaling $660,999 paid to Anita Perrottet's company, Macquarie Consulting, over two-and-a-half years represented Charles Perrottet's share of payments from Nassif. Anita Perrottet has stated these payments were for "strategic and marketing advice" she provided, while Charles Perrottet described them as "holistic" payments for his advice on Nassif's developments and his wife's work.
Greenwood had previously told the commission that Anita Perrottet's advice, for which no written evidence exists, provided a "mum's perspective." He suggested she may have coined the term "zero unnecessary euthanasia" for greyhounds and advised on discouraging minors from vaping. However, counsel assisting Icac, Peggy Dwyer SC, presented evidence of the phrase "zero unnecessary euthanasia" appearing in a 2017 greyhound industry report, suggesting Greenwood's evidence was false. Greenwood disagreed with this assessment.
Dwyer also questioned Greenwood about Anita Perrottet's advice on vaping, noting her children were young at the time. Greenwood stated he did not know their exact ages and did not consider it relevant, prompting the presiding commissioner, Fabian Gleeson, to instruct him to answer the questions directly. Greenwood later stated he presumed her children were under 10, while Dwyer indicated they were around two and three. Greenwood denied giving a "mum's perspective" on deterring under-fives from vaping, and again disagreed with Dwyer's assertion that his evidence was "ridiculous."
Greenwood also denied giving false evidence in private hearings with Icac regarding an arrangement where payments to Macquarie Consulting would also remunerate Charles Perrottet for his advice to Nassif. He stated he had never been in a financial arrangement with Charles Perrottet for consulting work, only for a "racehorse" and a "rugby fantasy football league." Dwyer called this a "ridiculous response" given his prior acknowledgement of such an arrangement.