The suspended head of Catholic Schools NSW told the ICAC that he had disposed of his phone and iPad
Dallas McInerney, the temporarily suspended head of Catholic Schools NSW, told the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that he reset his work phone and iPad to factory settings last weekend. According to ABC News Australia, the devices may have contained messages relevant to the investigation.
McInerny stated that he reset the devices after his bank accounts were allegedly compromised via his Apple ID and Apple Pay. According to him, National Australia Bank froze the accounts due to transactions linked to an unknown overseas merchant. At the same time, he acknowledged that neither the bank nor anyone else had advised him to reset the devices to factory settings.
He also said that he did not consult with his lawyers or Catholic Schools NSW regarding the factory reset or the possible consequences of such a step. Afterward, McInerney returned both devices to Catholic Schools NSW, although the organization did not request their return.
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The factory reset came to light after McInerney was asked to provide messages between himself and representatives of the Liberal Party, who are key figures in a corruption investigation. When asked if he understood that messages related to the case might be deleted along with other data, McInerney replied that he knew what he was doing and that a factory reset is a complete wipe.
Peggy Dwyer, a lawyer assisting the commission, suggested that the reset might have been an attempt to destroy evidence important to the ICAC. McInerney denied this, stating that the investigation had been ongoing for nearly seven weeks and that he would have had plenty of time if he had wanted to take such action. He also said that he had cooperated with the commission.
The ICAC is investigating alleged illegal political donations, possible manipulation of party branch membership, and disguised payments involving representatives of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Catholic Schools NSW, and developer Jean Nasif. In particular, the commission is examining whether donations organized and approved by McInerney may have gone undeclared, exceeded the established limit, and been used to attract or renew membership in the Liberal Party.
