A former leader of a Catholic education authority in New South Wales has informed the state’s corruption watchdog that he approached federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor for financial assistance, clarifying that the request was not intended to benefit a conservative faction within the party.
Mr. Taylor has denied any transactions took place and has refrained from commenting further on the situation.
In a related development, NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has appointed a new shadow planning minister to represent her on the Liberal Party’s state executive following revelations presented during an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearing.
The former head of Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW), Dallas McInerney, acknowledged reaching out to Mr. Taylor for funding but insisted that it was not connected to the right-leaning Liberal faction currently under scrutiny in a corruption investigation.
This revelation comes amid ongoing inquiries by the ICAC, which has stirred concerns among leaders in both state and federal Liberal circles. Mr. McInerney stepped down from his position at CSNSW after the ICAC initiated an investigation into whether the organization had made undisclosed donations, exceeded legal limits, or utilized funds for recruitment and membership renewal within the Liberal Party.
While Mr. Taylor has not been accused of any misconduct, he has consistently denied the existence of any payments.
Reports indicate that CSNSW, which oversees nearly 600 Catholic schools, has formally communicated with federal authorities, asserting that it was unaware of any donations to political parties made by the organization.
The ICAC is investigating whether individuals associated with the conservative Christian group, the NSW Reformers, solicited funds from prohibited donors and concealed political contributions through various means to enhance their influence.
According to counsel assisting the inquiry, payments allegedly made by Mr. McInerney via CSNSW were purportedly disguised as consulting fees for services that were never provided.
During his initial testimony, Mr. McInerney expressed a general belief in the Reformers’ aim to promote conservative values within the Liberal Party, although he later characterized their efforts as largely unsuccessful, stating, “I never thought the model was right.”
Counsel assisting, Juliet Curtin, posited that the members of the Reformers were deeply committed, a notion Mr. McInerney disputed, asserting that their involvement was more of an obligation than a passion.
The commission learned that Mr. McInerney had been an active participant in the NSW Liberal Party until June of this year, having been affiliated with the party since the late 1980s or early 1990s. He served on the party’s local government oversight committee in 2019 and 2021.
In previous communications between Mr. McInerney and Robert Assaf, a co-founder of the Reformers, a screenshot revealed Mr. McInerney’s intent to seek financial support from Mr. Taylor, stating, “I want to shake down Angus for 10k.”
Additionally, a message from former Liberal staffer Dylan Whitelaw claimed that Mr. McInerney had secured a $15,000 payment along with ongoing contributions of $3,000 per month from Mr. Taylor for the group’s initiatives. When questioned about this exchange, Mr. McInerney acknowledged his request for financial backing but maintained that it was unrelated to the Reformers’ activities.
He clarified that the funds were intended to bolster efforts for the upcoming internal elections within the NSW division and that references to state council delegates were indicative of a broader party initiative, not exclusive to the Reformers.
Lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood confirmed that the financial assistance sought from Mr. Taylor was aimed at supporting internal elections in New South Wales and promoting conservative candidates in key positions.
In response to claims made by Mr. Whitelaw regarding a secured deal with Mr. Taylor, Mr. McInerney stated that he had only obtained “in-principle support” from other party members for the conservative faction and its candidates. He suggested that Mr. Whitelaw might have misinterpreted his words or possibly exaggerated the situation.
At a press conference, Mr. Taylor reiterated his previous statements, asserting that no payments had been made and declined to engage further on the issue.
Moreover, a staff member for Mr. Taylor confronted a journalist regarding questions about the ICAC investigation, implying dissatisfaction with the line of inquiry.
In another development, Kellie Sloane has replaced Shadow Planning Minister Chris Rath as her delegate on the Liberal Party’s state executive following ICAC testimony. The commission revealed that Mr. Rath allegedly assisted party colleagues in evading testimony at a parliamentary inquiry conducted in 2023.
During Mr. Greenwood’s testimony, it was suggested that he took extensive measures to be informed by Mr. Rath about the inquiry proceedings.
