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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

NSW Liberal faction's 'filthy schools money' text a 'stupid joke', ICAC hears

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • An inquiry is examining a text message exchange between former members of a Liberal-aligned faction in New South Wales, Australia.
  • The texts allegedly reference "filthy schools money" being funneled as political donations.
  • A lobbyist involved testified that the message was a "stupid joke" and not indicative of illicit activity.

The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is scrutinizing a text message exchange between former members of a right-wing Liberal faction, known as the NSW Reformers. The inquiry is investigating allegations that prohibited political donations were channeled through third parties to support the faction and advance the interests of fugitive property developer Jean Nassif.

Hey, so you know I'm good to you and help you and give you your filthy schools money and put up with you f***ing whinging.

— Jeremy GreenwoodLobbyist Jeremy Greenwood sent this text message to Jean-Claude Perrottet, which is now under scrutiny by the ICAC.

Central to the investigation is a text message sent by lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood to Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. The message read: "Hey, so you know I'm good to you and help you and give you your filthy schools money and put up with you f***ing whinging." Perrottet's reply was: "Don't put that in writing." Greenwood responded, "It deletes."

Don't put that in writing.

— Jean-Claude PerrottetJean-Claude Perrottet's reply to Jeremy Greenwood's text message.

During his testimony, Mr. Greenwood described the text exchange as a "stupid joke" with a friend, intended to provoke a nervous reaction. He stated, "I rile him up all the time… I regret it, because it's become prominent here, but it's just our relationship." Counsel assisting the commissioner, Peggy Dwyer SC, however, alleged that the "filthy schools money" referred to payments from Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) intended to fund Liberal Party recruitment work, suggesting a "dodgy arrangement."

It deletes.

— Jeremy GreenwoodJeremy Greenwood's response to Jean-Claude Perrottet's caution about putting the message in writing.

The ICAC is examining whether members of the Reformers faction used companies, sham invoices, and consulting agreements to disguise political donations. Allegations also involve Greenwood's former company, Beckington, which reportedly disguised political donations as payments for lobbying and government relations work. The inquiry aims to determine if key Reformers players were aware of these alleged "sham arrangements."

It's a stupid joke. I rile him up all the time… I regret it, because it's become prominent here, but it's just our relationship.

— Jeremy GreenwoodLobbyist Jeremy Greenwood described the text message as a 'stupid joke' during his testimony.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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