It is an investigation into alleged corruption, but there’s a crescendo of expectation as Operation Rosny’s public inquiry enters its final week on Monday.
And it’s all down to one-time property developer, now in exile in Lebanon, Jean Nassif. After producing a medical certificate to delay an earlier appearance, Nassif is scheduled to testify on Monday. His appearance is much anticipated.
He was mentioned regularly during the three days of Week 6 as Counsel Assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer methodically tested the disclosures of Charles and Jean-Claude Perrottet with their lobbyist friend, Jeremy Greenwood.
Much of it was familiar turf - encrypted WhatsApp logs, bank ledgers, and his own references to “filthy schools money” and political “dirt sheets.”
As Greenwood’s recollections were tested against the sworn accounts of the Perrottet brothers, the lobbyist insisted his promises of high-level political intervention and threats to walk away were merely “silly talk” and “dangling carrots” designed to “play to the fears” of Nassif to extract unpaid retainer fees.
Greenwood’s testimony also produced sensational new revelations: chief among them his claim that Nassif’s agreement to pay Beckington $1 million per fast-tracked planning project was scribbled on a “fuchsia” sheet of paper from a notepad, folded inside a phone case.
A recent invention?
Through Dr Dwyer’s questioning it was established that Greenwood had never taken a photograph of this pink note, had never formalised it into a written contract, and had failed to mention its existence across three compulsory ICAC examinations. She asked if the story was a recent invention to explain millions in unwritten consulting arrangements. It wasn’t, Greenwood said.
With the cross-examination of the lobbyist to come later this week, the Commission’s immediate focus shifts to Nassif. Scheduled to give evidence via video on Monday, Nassif will be forced to confront the allegations at the very heart of Operation Rosny - from political “shakedowns,” to disguised donations, and boasts of influence with the then Premier.
Who said what on Week 6 of Operation Rosny
Jeremy Greenwood
The fuchsia note invention: Claimed under oath for the first time that Jean Nassif’s agreement to pay Beckington $1 million per fast-tracked project was written on a fuchsia piece of paper folded inside a phone case, but admitted under grilling by Dr Dwyer that he never requested a formal written contract, never photographed the note, and had never mentioned its existence across three prior private ICAC hearings.
Dangling developer threats: Conceded that he repeatedly sent WhatsApp messages threatening that Charles Perrottet would “block his number” or that rival factions would accept $500,000 from developer Ben Barrak if Nassif failed to pay, insisting these were merely “silly jokes” to extract outstanding retainer fees to buy luxury Porsches and fund mortgages.
Siphoned fee allocation: Admitted Beckington originally planned to split Jean Nassif’s $1 million fast-track project fees three ways between himself, Christian Ellis, and Charles Perrottet. Later confirmed payments were subsequently funneled to Anita Perrottet’s Macquarie Consulting to reflect the financial value of Charles’s backroom advice.
Fabricated political leverage: Insisted under oath his frequent claims to Nassif about controlling ministerial decisions and departmental agendas were complete fabrications designed to extract commercial payments rather than evidence of actual corrupt influence over government decisions.
The Assistant Commissioner and Counsel Assisting explicitly confirmed that former Premier Dominic Perrottet, former Minister Eleni Petinos, former Minister Rob Stokes, and Matt Kean are not persons of interest in this inquiry and are not accused of any wrongdoing
Exactly who is Jean Nassif?
The onetime property mogul: Founded Toplace in 1992, building thousands of medium and high-rise apartments across Sydney, including the Skyview towers in Castle Hill and 189 Macquarie Street in Parramatta. The empire collapsed into voluntary administration in 2023, leaving an estimated $1.6 billion in debt and thousands of unit owners facing building defect repair bills.
The overseas fugitive: Fled Australia for Lebanon in December 2022 on the eve of a NSW parliamentary inquiry. In June 2023, NSW Police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with large-scale financial fraud allegations surrounding Toplace.
The target of regulatory crackdowns: Faced regulatory action from NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler across multiple developments. ICAC is investigating claims that Nassif sought to use political leverage to stop Chandler’s blitzes or have him ousted.
The alleged prohibited donor: Nassif is accused of soliciting or making over $940,000 in prohibited political donations through lobbyist intermediaries to right-faction operatives. In return, he allegedly sought fast-tracked planning approvals and the political destruction of rival MP David Elliott.
The wiretapped boasts & covert tactics: Intercepted by police wiretaps boasting that “the Premier is my best friend” and claiming he had his “hands on state government”. Witness testimony before the Commission described Nassif using private investigators to spy on political enemies, issuing direct “death threats” to ministers, and offering $1-million-per-project fast-track retainers.
ICAC has made no findings in Operation Rosny. All individuals named are the subject of allegations being examined at a public inquiry.
Operation Rosny involves allegations concerning people associated with the NSW Liberal Party, Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney, property developer Jean Nassif, hotelier Michael O’Hara, Strathfield councillors and others. To read the allegations in full, go to the dedicated ICAC Operation Rosny page
