In Australia, developer Jean Nassif testifies to ICAC from Lebanon for a second day
In Australia, Jean Nassif, the founder of the Toplace development group, is giving testimony for the second consecutive day to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) via video link from Lebanon. New South Wales Police are seeking him over fraud-related offences, and an international arrest warrant has also been issued for him in a fraud case.
As ABC News reports, the hearings are taking place as part of Operation Rosny. The commission is determining whether Nassif paid representatives of the Liberal Party to secure political decisions favourable to his development projects.
Nassif's denials
During his testimony from Beirut, Nassif stated that he was not involved in payments aimed at securing approval for his projects. According to him, he hired consultants to support his business and did not know about possible corrupt actions by other individuals.
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Nassif also denied giving bribes or attempting to influence political decisions. At the same time, he said that he wanted former New South Wales police minister David Elliott and former building commissioner David Chandler to “not get in his way.”
Funding offer
The previous day, Nassif agreed under oath that he had offered members of the Liberal Party's right-wing faction, known as the Reformers, up to $1 million if they helped advance several stalled development projects. He also acknowledged offering funding so that his political opponents would stop putting pressure on him.
During the hearing, a secretly recorded phone conversation from 2021 was played, in which Nassif boasted that he had up to 52% of power in the state government. He called those words nonsense.
