Corruption watchdog raids the homes of Dominic Perrottet’s brother and several Liberal MPs
- Corruption watchdog raided the homes of Liberal MPs
- Dominic Perrottet’s brother’s home has been raided
A corruption watchdog has raided the homes of former and current Liberal MPs, including the brother of ex-NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption seized laptops and phones from up to five homes in the early morning raids that began last week.
Charles Perrottet was also the target of a raid on his Melbourne home after NSW watchdog co-opted Victoria Police to enter his home, the That reports the Daily Telegraph.
The raids are linked to allegations made in June 2022 by Liberal MP Ray Williams under parliamentary privilege.
Charles Perrottet’s home in Melbourne reportedly raided by an official of the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption
He claimed several senior members of his party were paid to install new councilors on Sydney’s Hills Shire Council who would be friendly to developer Toplace.
Mr Williams did not name Charles among the Liberals involved in the case.
Then NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet referred the claims, made under parliamentary prerogative, to ICAC.
A parliamentary inquiry was launched calling Charles to appear as a witness and his brother Jean-Claude also asked to appear in February.
Both brothers did not show up and each gave different reasons for their absence.
Charles, who is no longer a member of the Liberal Party, wrote to the inquiry saying that as he no longer lived in NSW he was under no obligation to testify.
‘I decline your invitation. I am a resident of Victoria. I have been living in Victoria since January 2021,” he wrote.
Jean-Claude went missing for a month while summons servers searched for him in NSW to try and make him appear.
When he was tracked down by Channel Nine at a relative’s house and asked where he had been, a shocked-looking Jean-Claude said he had been ‘abroad’.
Dominic Perrottet (pictured right with wife Helen Perrottet at the Sydney premiere of the musical Hamilton in 2021) referred the claims against his brothers to the state’s corruption watchdog
However, he did not answer the question, “Why did you try to evade (the investigation)?”
Because he was not found before the investigation was due to close due to the state election on March 25, he avoided giving evidence.
In its final report, the inquiry recommended re-investigating after the election and calling Jean-Claude, Charles, Christian Ellis and Toplace director Jean Nassif to testify.
Mr. Nassif was in Lebanon at the time.
He has dismissed the allegations as ‘nonsensical’ and denied that he or his company had any contact with the new councillors.
When asked for confirmation of the raid on Charles Perrottet’s home of ICAC, it declined to comment.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Perrottet’s office for comment.