Outgoing building commissioner David Chandler’s resignation letter raising ‘concerns’ about Eleni Petinos’ office referred to ICAC

Outgoing NSW building commissioner David Chandler’s revealing resignation letter has been referred to the state’s corruption watchdog.

Concerns were raised about the relationship between the office of dumped Minister Eleni Petinos and a property developer linked to John Barilaro in a public servant’s resignation letter that was last week sent to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler – who quit last month – revealed the concerns in a secret resignation letter that will be made public on Thursday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday revealed the letter was sent to ICAC “out of an abundance of caution” on Monday August 1 – the day after he sacked Ms Petinos from the Ministry.

Mr Perrottet was only told that the letter had been sent to ICAC “late” on Tuesday night.

In the letter — which has been relayed in part to The Daily Telegraph — Mr Chandler writes how he received a call from an individual in Ms Petinos’ office soon after he had issued a stop work order to Coronation Group over a western Sydney work site in Merrylands.

Dumped NSW Minister for Small Business Eleni Petinos. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

Shortly after the stop work order was issued, Mr Chandler wrote how he also received a text message from former deputy premier John Barilaro.

He said Mr Barilaro wanted a meeting to discuss the former deputy premier’s new job with the firm and any potential conflicts of interest.

The meeting occurred several weeks later.

It is understood Mr Chandler felt under no obligation or pressure to lift the order as a result of the contact by Mr Barilaro.

Mr Barilaro also did not ask Mr Chandler to lift the order.

The order was later amended in part after Coronation addressed some of the site issues with the order later lifted entirely.

John Barilaro is questioned during the inquiry into the appointment as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas on Monday. Picture: Gaye Gerard / NCA Newswire

As for the concerns Mr Chandler had with Ms Petinos’ office, he wrote how these “crystallised” around the time the stop work order was issued to Coronation.

“These concerns crystallised at the time of the stop work orders issued under the Building Act,” Mr Chandler’s letter is understood to state.

“I received a call (from Ms Petinos’ office) shortly after a draft order was issued on the Coronation Merrylands’ development site.”

The Daily Telegraph revealed on Saturday how the relationship between Ms Petinos’ office and the building commissioner was “problematic” and key reason for his decision to resign.

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler. Picture: Toby Zerna

The Telegraph also revealed that Ms Petinos met with Coronation Property and Mr Barilaro for a “social” function on the evening the state budget was delivered.

Mr Barilaro and Mr Chandler declined to comment publicly.

Comment was also sought from Ms Petinos.

Ms Petinos has previously declared how the “issuing and revocation of stop-work orders” was “a matter for the Building Commissioner, not the minster”.

The resignation letter will be released to parliament on Thursday after Labor succeeded in moving a motion forcing the department to produce the document.