NSW Liberal MPs' council deal becomes focus of ICAC corruption inquiry

Five current New South Wales Liberal Party MPs who sat on the state executive voted in October 2021 for a factional arrangement that installed new councillors in the Hills Shire Council, bypassing the normal pre‑selection process. The documents obtained by the Herald show the motion was authored by former party president Philip Ruddock, who abstained from the vote.

The decision is now central to the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Rosny, an eight‑week inquiry into fugitive property developer Jean Nassif’s alleged payments to Liberal powerbrokers. Former MP Ray Williams alleged in 2022 that Nassif paid “significant funds” to party apparatchik Christian Ellis and others to secure councillors who would favour his development applications. Then‑premier Dominic Perrottet referred the claim to ICAC, which launched the probe this week.

The MPs identified as having supported the motion are Chris Rath, James Wallace, Jacqui Munro and Mark Coure – all from the dominant moderate faction – and upper‑house member Aileen MacDonald from the right. All declined to comment. Ruddock, when asked, said: “I have no recollection of those matters.” No evidence has been presented that the five MPs were aware of the alleged payments at the time of the vote.