Key facts
- A lobbying firm allegedly linked to the Reformers faction created a fake administrative assistant named 'Jessica'.
- The firm, Beckington, is accused of accepting illegal donations for factional Liberal party work.
- Invoices signed by 'Jessica' were sent to Catholic Schools NSW.
- Jeremy Greenwood, a director of Beckington, stated 'Jessica' was a fake name created by Christian Ellis.
- The inquiry is investigating payments made to Jean-Claude Perrottet for Reformers recruitment work.
- Greenwood admitted to paying Jean-Claude Perrottet $12,000.
A former lobbying firm allegedly linked to the Reformers faction of the Liberal party created a fake administrative assistant named 'Jessica' to handle invoices, an inquiry has heard. Consultant and lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood testified before the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) Operation Rosny that the name was created by Christian Ellis, a co-founder of the firm Beckington, as a joke.
Icac is investigating whether the Reformers, a conservative faction, solicited or accepted prohibited donations for member recruitment, a practice known as branch-stacking. Beckington is accused of accepting payments for factional work through fake invoices to prohibited donor Michael O’Hara and Catholic Schools NSW.
Greenwood stated he could not recall the arrangements but confirmed that invoices signed 'Jessica' were sent to Catholic Schools NSW. He described the 'Jessica' persona as part of the firm's 'silly humour'.
The inquiry also heard that Beckington allegedly made payments to Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of Dominic Perrottet, for Reformers recruitment work. Greenwood admitted to paying Jean-Claude Perrottet $12,000, claiming it was for personal reasons and not directly for recruitment.
Greenwood also faced questions about his prior statements regarding his knowledge of Michael O’Hara, admitting he had heard O’Hara’s name mentioned in 2019 or 2020, contrary to earlier claims. He also detailed extensive drinking sessions with Christian Ellis in the UK shortly before a compulsory examination.
Greenwood repeatedly denied being an active participant in Reformers group chats or a member of the group, stating that 'hearing things when you’re having a beer at a pub is not actively engaging in the [Reformers] work'.