A Liberal factional figure has rejected a suggestion he gave “ridiculous” evidence that Dominic Perrottet’s sister-in-law shared in $660,999 for giving a “mum’s perspective” on lobbying clients, the New South Wales anti-corruption watchdog has heard.
Jeremy Greenwood told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Wednesday it was not relevant that Anita Perrottet’s children were under five at the time she provided advice on vaping among minors.
Greenwood also denied he gave false evidence about her coming up with the term “zero unnecessary euthanasia” several years after it appeared in a greyhound industry report.
Icac is investigating an allegation that Greenwood, Charles Perrottet and Christian Ellis shared in $2m in payments between 2020 and 2023 from fugitive developer Jean Nassif, or his company Toplace, in exchange for political outcomes.
Greenwood, who alongside Charles Perrottet has denied payments were political donations, returned to the commission on Wednesday after Nassif made an explosive video appearance from his Beirut bedroom on Monday and Tuesday. Nassif declared he was “not corrupt”.
Peggy Dwyer SC on Wednesday questioned Greenwood in relation to his previous evidence about advice he said Anita Perrottet gave to lobbying firms Beckington, controlled by Greenwood and Ellis, and JPG Advisory, controlled by Greenwood.
Dwyer has alleged invoices of $660,999 paid to Anita Perrottet’s company, Macquarie Consulting, over two and a half years were her husband, Charles Perrottet’s, share of the money from Nassif.
Anita Perrottet has told the watchdog payments were for “strategic and marketing advice” she provided; while Charles Perrottet has said they were “holistic” payments covering his advice to Nassif on his developments as well as his wife’s work.
Greenwood has previously told the commission Anita’s advice, for which the commission has no written evidence, provided a “mum’s perspective”. He said after first being contracted by Beckington in 2020, she may have come up with the term “zero unnecessary euthanasia” for greyhounds, and given advice about discouraging minors from vaping, including removing flavours such as bubble gum, as well as black market regulation.
On Wednesday, Dwyer took Greenwood to 2017 recommendations by the NSW greyhound industry reform panel, which included the phrase “zero unnecessary euthanasia”, suggesting to Greenwood he had “outsmarted [him]self by coming up with that false evidence when it’s clearly a term used in a document years earlier”.
“I disagree,” Greenwood replied. Dwyer showed Greenwood a submission by Philip Morris to a 2020 senate inquiry which referenced measures to regulate the illicit tobacco trade and a 2019 report committing to applying guidelines to prevent youth access to vapes.
Greenwood said he had read the submission by Philip Morris, a client of his, but rejected Dwyer’s suggestion it “makes a mockery” of his evidence about Anita Perrottet’s advice.
After Dwyer asked him how old Anita Perrottet’s children were at the time she provided advice on vaping, Greenwood said he did not know, and did not think it was relevant.
The presiding commissioner, Fabian Gleeson, intervened to tell Greenwood he was “not here to debate with counsel assisting” but to “answer the question”. Greenwood said: “I presume they’re under 10.”
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Dwyer, telling Greenwood that Anita Perrottet’s children were around two and three at the time, asked: “Did she give you a mum’s perspective on deterring under-fives from vaping?
“No,” Greenwood replied.
Dwyer said: “Your evidence is ridiculous, can I suggest to you, that Anita Perrottet contributed to a debate that had been the subject of professional reports … for many years before you say you brought Anita Perrottet on board.” Greenwood disagreed.
At the inquiry last week, Greenwood acknowledged an arrangement under which payments to Macquarie Consulting would also remunerate Charles Perrottet for advice he gave to Nassif.
He rejected a suggestion he gave false evidence at private hearings with Icac every year between 2023 and 2026, in which he did not mention an arrangement. But on Wednesday, he said he had never been in a financial arrangement with Charles Perrottet for consulting work, but said they had previous arrangements “on a racehorse” and “an old Redfield [college] rugby fantasy football league”.
Dwyer said it was a “ridiculous response” given his previous acknowledgment “that an amount going to Macquarie Consulting was in effect to thank Charles or compensate him for the advice he had given to Jean Nassif”. Greenwood disagreed.
Ellis moved to the UK at the start of this year and is not expected to appear. Dominic Perrottet is not named as a person of interest in Icac’s allegations and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Icac’s inquiry continues.
