Brother of NSW Premier hits back at Hills Shire Council inquiry

The brother of a state’s premier has fired back after a parliamentary inquiry attempted to link him to a council’s alleged corruption.

The brother of NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will not front a parliamentary inquiry into alleged corruption at a Sydney council, labelling it a “Labor-Greens circus”.

Charles Perrottet has been called to give evidence into alleged corruption at The Hills Shire Council, which became the subject of an inquiry after allegations members of the Liberal Party were paid by a developer to install new councillors.

But Mr Perrottet, who does not live in NSW and therefore cannot be summonsed to face the committee, wrote to the inquiry and informed them he would not be giving evidence.

“I reserve my position in relation to the partisan, ill-informed, speculative commentary, including statements to the press and ‘media releases’ by some committee members,” NCA NewsWire understands the letter to have read.

Charles Perrottet, brother of NSW Premier Dominic, will not give evidence into a parliamentary inquiry into alleged corruption at a Sydney council. Picture: Facebook

The NSW Premier’s other brother, Jean-Claude Perrottet, has also been asked to give evidence to the inquiry, along with Liberal powerbroker Christian Ellis.

The inquiry, which has cast a shadow over the Premier just over a month out from the NSW state election, was sparked by a speech made by Liberal member for Castle Hill Ray Williams in NSW Parliament in June last year.

Mr Williams told parliament that prior to council elections in December 2021, prominent developer Jean Nassif, who owns development company Toplace, met with Mr Ellis and “other senior members” of the Liberal Party, who were paid to install councillors who would be favourable to Toplace’s development applications.

In the speech, Mr Williams said Mr Ellis was at the time a member of the Liberal Party’s state executive as well as the owner of a lobbying company which listed Toplace as a client.

Jean-Claude Perrottet, centre, has also been summonsed to give evidence into the inquiry, which was sparked after a speech made by Liberal MP Ray Williams last year in parliament. Picture: Richard Dobson

A summary, published by the inquiry last week, revealed that a number of attempts have been made to contact Charles Perrottet, Jean-Claude Perrottet and Mr Ellis as well as Liberal councillor at the Hills Shire Council, Virginia Ellis.

In a letter to the inquiry’s chair, Greens upper house MP Susan Higginson, Mr Nassif said he was unable to give evidence because he was in a “remote part of Lebanon” where he said he is from.

However, he told Ms Higginson that he had never met with any of the current members of the Hills Shire Council, nor was he aware if they support his developments or not.

“It is difficult to address Mr Williams’ allegations, as his assertions are so lacking in detail or evidence,” Mr Nassif said in the letter, dated February 7.

The inquiry is due to hold its third hearing on Wednesday.