The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Thursday heard from Robert Assaf, a cofounder of the conservative Liberal faction the Reformers, who compared their internal party battles to the film Braveheart and admitted they 'didn't think the law applied to us' regarding political donations.
Assaf's testimony on factional warfare
Assaf, 30, described the Liberal party's right faction as 'like these warring kingdoms, and they would slaughter each other, and then every now and then they'd come together for a big fight,' referencing Mel Gibson's film. He said the Reformers were formed in 2017 amid a split between religious conservatives and the centre-right.
Icac is investigating whether Liberal figures, including Assaf, solicited or accepted donations from prohibited donors in undeclared amounts or exceeding caps to recruit party members, a practice known as branch-stacking. The Reformers allegedly sought more conservative policies on same-sex marriage, transgender rights, abortion, and euthanasia.
Admission of legal ignorance
When asked about knowledge of electoral laws, Assaf told counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC: 'Because it was an electoral law, we're not campaigning in elections in that sense. We're internal Liberal party machinations. My understanding the whole way through was, until very recently … it's internal. It doesn't count as anything to do with electoral laws or any other law.'
Defending the group, Assaf said: 'The Reformers sound really spooky in the media right now, but it was just a bunch of 20-year-old people trying to figure things out.'
Links to Angus Taylor and other politicians
Federal opposition leader Angus Taylor, who has denied donating to the Reformers, was mentioned during Assaf's testimony. Assaf claimed Taylor was 'around it, but I don't think he was really that involved. He definitely wasn't opposed.' Taylor, who is not accused of wrongdoing, said on Thursday: 'I've answered these questions yesterday. I'm not going to give a running commentary on it.'
Assaf also mentioned former NSW Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet, whose brothers Jean-Claude and Charles Perrottet are named in the allegations. Assaf said Dominic Perrottet was 'pretty absent in the whole thing, but supportive from what I understood.' Dominic Perrottet is not accused of wrongdoing.
Recruitment and branch-stacking plans
The inquiry heard that Assaf and fellow Reformer Christian Ellis started the group after working together on the No campaign for the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Dwyer showed Assaf a draft document detailing a plan to recruit 5,000 Christian conservative members to take control of the NSW Liberal party, which had 4,000 members at the time.
Assaf said the main aim was 'policy change' but increasing membership was 'certainly part of the process.' When asked about a goal 'to take over left-wing branches through stealth,' Assaf said: 'Ideally, we would not want to take branches through stealth. I prefer to be a front stabber than a back stabber.'
The Reformers had success taking over branches, as shown in an email from Assaf: 'Great news. God's granted us a victory. We've officially taken the Coffs Harbor branch away from the left wing.'
Concerns over payments and prohibited donors
Assaf admitted to a bogus arrangement with prohibited donor Michael O'Hara, who earlier testified he paid registered lobbyist Beckington, founded by Christian Ellis, for 'strategic wealth strategy investment advice' but understood he was paying to promote conservative values. Assaf said the Reformers became concerned that Ellis was 'getting rich' on the money. In a message to Greenwood and Jean-Claude Perrottet, Assaf wrote: 'Ellis might have to cancel the upgrade to his fifth Land Cruiser, ha ha ha ha.'
The inquiry continues.
