Premier Dominic Perrottet’s brother has confirmed he will not front a parliamentary inquiry into Sydney’s Hills Shire Council, calling it a “Labor/Greens circus”.
Key points:
- The inquiry is probing alleged deals between Liberal Party members and property developers
- Charles and Jean-Claude Perrottet, councillor Christian Ellis and director Jean Nassif have been called to appear
- Charles Perrottet says speculation about him is “ill-informed” and “defamatory”
Charles Perrottet has written to the NSW parliamentary inquiry to decline the invitation to appear as a witness on the basis he is a resident of Victoria.
“I will not be participating in your Labor/Greens circus,” Mr Perrottet wrote.
“I decline your invitation. I am a resident of Victoria. I have resided in Victoria since January 2021.
“I reserve my position in relation to the partisan, ill-informed, speculative and defamatory commentary, including statements to the press and ‘media releases’, by some committee members.”
Witnesses who are not residents of NSW cannot be summonsed to appear before state parliamentary inquiries.
Inquiry Chair, Greens MP Sue Higginson, said while Mr Perrottet could not be compelled to appear, she encouraged him to reconsider the invitation.
“I encourage Mr Perrottet to please come forward and provide his opinions and his evidence,” Ms Higginson told ABC News.
“These are important matters of integrity and the public interest that the committee has been asked to enquire about.
“The jurisdiction of the parliament relates to the area of NSW, however, any witness that has been invited can voluntarily appear before the inquiry.”
The inquiry was launched after Liberal MP Ray Williams used parliamentary privilege to raise allegations of deals between Liberal Party members and property developers in the Hills area, in Sydney’s north west.
Mr Williams alleged members of the NSW Liberal Party were paid to install new councillors on the Hills Shire Council to benefit the development company Toplace.
In June 2022, Mr Williams told parliament he had heard allegations members of the Liberal Party executive were given “significant funds” from Toplace owner, Jean Nassif, in 2021 so new councillors were put on the council.
Ahead of the 2021 local government election, six Hills Shire Liberal councillors and the Liberal mayor Michelle Byrne were booted from the party ticket by the executive and usual pre-selection processes were skipped.
Charles Perrottet’s younger brother Jean-Claude Perrottet, Hills Shire Councillor Christian Ellis and Toplace director Jean Nassif have all been called to appear before the inquiry.
In a letter to the inquiry, Mr Nassif said he was in rural Lebanon recovering from a medical procedure and vehemently denied any allegations of impropriety.