Hotelier tells ICAC he made 'mistake' trusting Liberal figures

A prominent hotelier has admitted to the New South Wales corruption watchdog that he "made a mistake" in trusting key figures at the center of a bombshell investigation into political donations. Michael O'Hara, who helped fund a conservative Liberal Party faction, testified before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Tuesday.

The ICAC's Operation Rosny inquiry is scrutinizing whether O'Hara, identified as a prohibited donor, channeled political donations through a company, Paslibdan Pty Ltd. Allegations suggest these donations were disguised as consultancy payments, exceeding legal caps and remaining undeclared, with the aim of increasing conservative representation within the Liberal Party.

O'Hara expressed being "absolutely astounded" and "disgusted" by the allegations presented to the commission, particularly those involving members of the NSW Reformers, a conservative Christian faction. This group is linked to several key individuals in the inquiry, including founder Christian Ellis and Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. The former premier himself, who referred the matter to ICAC in 2022, is not implicated in any wrongdoing.

Under questioning about invoices and emails detailing payments to companies associated with Ellis and Perrottet, described as "strategic wealth strategy investment advice," O'Hara maintained his belief that the arrangement was meant to advance his conservative values within the party. He likened his involvement to a hotel owner trusting managers, stating, "I thought they were good people… I made a mistake in supporting them because they obviously went off the track."

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I thought they were good people… I made a mistake in supporting them because they obviously went off the track.