Toplace collapse: Jean Nassif’s developer company a client of Michael Photios’ PremierState lobbying firm

Jean Nassif’s Toplace is a client of Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios’ political lobbying firm, who worked for the now fallen development company on its Hills projects.

PremierState did work for Toplace in relation to rejected proposals to redevelop the land around Cherrybrook Station. Pictured is an artist impression of the then proposed 46 high rise residential towers.

Jean Nassif’s Toplace remains a client of a Liberal powerbroker’s political lobbying firm, who undertook work for the fallen property giant pertaining to some of its Sydney planning proposals, as administrators rifled through the company’s books to find more than $200m owed to creditors.

The NSW Electoral Commission lobbying register revealed Toplace has paid for lobbying services since 2020 to PremierState and PremierNational, where it remains an “active” client.

PremierState and PremierNational are the state and federal arms of the same company, run by NSW Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios.

A former NSW minister, Mr Photios founded the Premier group in 2011 and remains an influential figure in the state Liberal Party, from the moderate wing.

The lobbying group also includes a who’s who within Liberal and Labor spheres.

Jean Nassif’s Toplace is in administration and owed more than 500 creditors upwards of $200m. Picture: Liam Mendes

Former Labor minister Bob Hawke’s government Graham Richardson is a special counsel, as is former federal Liberal member for Lindsay Fiona Scott.

In November, the firm hired Anthony Albanese’s former senior adviser and caucus liaison Tom Kenny, working alongside Julia Gillard’s former press secretary Darrin Barrett.

The company nor Mr Photios responded to request for comment, nor if Toplace remained an active client.

In February, a NSW parliamentary inquiry looked into impropriety allegations of developers, including Toplace, in the Hills Shire Council area.

Although PremierState was not involved in the inquiry, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing or connection to the inquiry, a letter provided to the chair by Mr Nassif disclosed he had engaged the services of Mr Photios’ company around Toplace’s Cherrybrook complex proposals.

Former NSW minister and influential Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios established the Premier group in 2011. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The proposals were rejected in 2020 by a NSW Government planning panel, but would have built 2600 units within a 46-building high-rise complex, which Mr Nassif estimated would have cost close to $1bn.

“PremierState and Macroplan have dealt with the (Cherrybrook) proposal since their engagement in 2020, alongside Grimshaws,” Mr Nassif’s February letter said.

“That engagement has been focused on the relevant NSW Government entities (the Planning Department, Transport, School Infrastructure) and the Hills Shire Council.”

The first meeting of creditors after the collapse of, Toplace, at Drummoyne Oval, July 19. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

PremierState did work for Toplace in the government sphere pertaining to its Hills Shire Cherrybrook proposals. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

It is unknown the extent of work PremierState undertook for Toplace. Given the company’s collapse, it is unknown if Mr Nassif owes the lobbying firm any outstanding fees.

A creditors meeting was held in the wake of Toplace’s collapse on Wednesday, but it is unknown if PremierState attended.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing whatsoever.

Toplace’s building arm went into voluntary administration on July 7 after a tribunal permanently suspended its licence the day prior.

Mr Nassif has been in Lebanon since December and a NSW Police arrest warrant was issued in June over fraud allegations surrounding a $150m loan taken out for his Skyview complex.

Wednesday’s creditor meeting placed the amount owed by Toplace to be more than $200m, with assets and liabilities of the collapsed company and its entities totalling more than $1.5bn.

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