The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) has heard former Strathfield Labor councillor Sharangan Maheswaran deny that a message he received about damaging the reputation of NSW Liberal minister David Elliott was related to political work for fugitive property developer Jean Nassif.
Maheswaran told the commission on Friday that a message sent to him by lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood claiming “We have something that will kill Elliott” did not relate to work by Greenwood’s company Beckington for Nassif. The inquiry is investigating whether Maheswaran and fellow Labor Strathfield councillor Karen Pensabene engaged in conduct towards former mayor Matthew Blackmore involving the dishonest or partial exercise of official functions, breach of public trust, or conduct that could involve blackmail, as well as possible breaches of the Surveillance Devices Act. Maheswaran has denied any wrongdoing.
Common interest with Greenwood
On Friday, counsel assisting the commission, Dr Dwyer, took Maheswaran to a message Greenwood wrote to him in February 2020 in which Greenwood said: “We have something that will kill Elliot.” Maheswaran replied: “Your ears must be ringing. I just picked up the phone to let you know that I’ve got something decent, and the SMH [Sydney Morning Herald] is going to fire up re [centre-right Liberal MP Alex] Hawke this week off the back of an ALP bill to ban developers.”
Dwyer put it to Maheswaran that the messages showed he shared “a common interest with Beckington in terms of damaging the reputation of David Elliott”. Maheswaran said he “had a common interest with Mr Greenwood in relation to the Hawke faction of the Liberal party”, but rejected the suggestion the messages related to work by Beckington for Nassif.
Maheswaran’s role with Toplace
Maheswaran, who is no longer a councillor, was a lawyer to property developer Nassif and became an executive at his company, Toplace, in September 2020. The inquiry heard that Maheswaran came to know Nassif through his daughter Ashlyn Nassif, who was sentenced to a six-month community corrections order earlier this month after pleading guilty to providing false or misleading information to obtain a $150m construction loan from Westpac.
Maheswaran said he was subcontracted to do work for Toplace through Ashlyn Nassif and her sister Evelyn Helou’s law firm EA Legal in late 2019, through another company, Anwalt Pty Ltd. But he took issue with Dwyer’s suggestion that he and Anwalt were one and the same. He said: “That’s nonsensical from a corporation’s perspective, from a commercial perspective, from any sort of understanding of contractual law, I’m sorry, Dr Dwyer, I’m speaking in terms of as I understand the world.” “No problem,” replied Dwyer.
Under questioning, Maheswaran accepted that he was the only shareholder and employee of Anwalt at the time. Dwyer said: “So the only person doing any actual work was you, correct?” “At that point in time, yes,” said Maheswaran.
Context of the inquiry
Icac is examining whether Liberal figures Greenwood, Charles Perrottet and Christian Ellis anticipated receiving $2m in prohibited donations from Nassif in exchange for political outcomes, including damage to the career of former NSW Liberal minister and centre-right faction member David Elliott, who had opposed Toplace developments. Greenwood, Perrottet and Nassif have denied that Nassif paid for political outcomes.
Maheswaran has been mentioned frequently by other witnesses, and has attended the commission in person while others have given evidence. When Icac announced its public hearings, Maheswaran told Guardian Australia: “I have every confidence that my actions will be regarded by the public and by any fair tribunal to be lawful and entirely in the public interest.” Greenwood has previously told the commission Maheswaran helped him arrange a private security guard to avoid summons to a parliamentary inquiry that preceded Icac’s inquiry. Greenwood said he suggested to Maheswaran that Toplace cover the cost for Jean-Claude Perrottet, younger brother of the former premier, to go to Fiji to avoid the inquiry, saying: “You know, your boss is the cause of this, so you can cover it.” Dominic Perrottet is not named as a person of interest in Icac’s allegations and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The inquiry continues.
