Charles Perrottet defends payments to wife for part-time work
Charles Perrottet, the brother of former New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet, told a hearing of the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that an annual payment of 150,000 Australian dollars to his wife Anita was not a significant sum. She received the money for consulting work averaging 16 hours a week.
As ABC News Australia reports, the payments were made by Beckington, a company linked to lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood. Greenwood worked with developer Jean Nassif, who is evading justice, and his company Toplace.
Payments through a consulting company
ICAC previously heard evidence that Anita Perrottet, through her company Macquarie Consulting, performed work for Greenwood's businesses for about two and a half years. During that period, she received more than 660,000 Australian dollars.
Peggy Dwyer, counsel assisting the commission, asked Charles Perrottet whether he considered 150,000 dollars a substantial sum for work with flexible hours. He replied that he did not consider such annual pay significant, adding that the value of work depends on the client's assessment.
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Discrepancies in testimony
Charles Perrottet also said at the public hearings that part of the money transferred to Macquarie Consulting was payment for his own advice to Greenwood regarding Toplace. This differs from Anita Perrottet's explanation, as she told the commission last week that the payments related only to her consulting work and that neither she nor her husband worked in Toplace's interests.
Dwyer also asked Charles Perrottet why he had not disclosed this arrangement during earlier private hearings and whether he had told his wife that part of the money was remuneration for his consultations. He replied that he would not describe it as deliberate concealment and stressed that his wife had done much useful work for Greenwood.
ICAC is examining whether payments through companies linked to Greenwood were genuine payment for consulting services or were used to disguise funds intended for political purposes. The commission is investigating allegations that prohibited political donations were directed through intermediaries to support the right wing of the New South Wales Liberal Party and advance Nassif's interests. Dominic Perrottet is not accused of wrongdoing.
