Operation Rosny hearings at the New South Wales Independent Commission against Corruption (Icac) have revealed scrutiny surrounding Catholic Schools NSW, an organisation managing $3.8bn in government grants. According to evidence presented at the inquiry, Icac is examining allegations that payments made to conservative Liberal operatives known as the Reformers were illegal donations used for political purposes that exceeded donation caps and went undeclared.
McInerney Testimony and Consultancy Contracts
Dallas McInerney, who has served as the CEO of Catholic Schools since its founding nine years ago, appeared in the witness box on Thursday and Friday. According to McInerney’s testimony, he is a prominent member of the New South Wales Liberal right faction and chairs the right-elected leadership meeting (RELM) that includes conservative MPs such as Angus Taylor, Dominic Perrottet, Damien Tudehope, and Anthony Roberts. McInerney acknowledged facing questioning regarding how he came to employ several Reformers or award them consultancy contracts.
Evidence presented to Icac showed that Christian Ellis, a Reformer who was let go from Damien Tudehope’s parliamentary office alongside Jean-Claude Perrottet due to ministerial staff rules regarding factional work, set up a consultancy named Beckington in July 2019. Catholic Schools NSW served as Beckington’s first client, paying the firm $130,000 over the next two years. McInerney spent two days being questioned about what Beckington actually did, acknowledging that no documents or emails came to light apart from invoices, an engagement letter, and some diary entries for face-to-face meetings.
Shift to JPG Advisory and WhatsApp Allegations
In 2021, after Ellis moved to Deniliquin to attempt federal preselection for Farrer by stacking branches of Sussan Ley, McInerney cut ties with Beckington and moved the contract to JPG Advisory, run by Jeremy Greenwood. McInerney stated that this switch involved sensitivities and that he agreed to use Jean-Claude Perrottet as a conduit. Jean-Claude was paid 50% of the estimated $135,000 fees paid to JPG, though written work outputs apart from invoices could not be produced.
Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin suggested that WhatsApp chats between the Reformers confirmed Catholic Schools money was split between key operatives to fund factional work through a sham arrangement. McInerney disagreed with this characterization and stated he was not on the chats. When questioned about Jean-Claude Perrottet’s employment directly at Catholic Schools between 2023 and 2026, McInerney maintained that Jean-Claude’s promotion in May to director of communications and stakeholder management and subsequent redundancy in June resulted from an internal restructure unrelated to the Icac inquiry.
Did You Know? Catholic Schools NSW manages $3.8bn in government grants while speaking for the entire Catholic school community across New South Wales.
The Role of Whitelaw and Other Operatives
Dylan Whitelaw, who met McInerney at the Mittagong branch of the Liberal party where McInerney was president and Whitelaw later became vice-president, also featured prominently in the evidence. After finishing school, Whitelaw worked for Catholic Schools as a data entry clerk before moving to Beckington. According to Whitelaw’s evidence, he mainly organized Reformers events, while McInerney and Greenwood described his role as administrative.
Emails shown to McInerney revealed that Whitelaw relayed messages regarding financial support for the Reformers, including a message that McInerney intended to shake down Angus for $10K during a breakfast meeting with ministers. McInerney described Whitelaw as the point of contact for administrative interplay. Additionally, James Tudehope, son of Damien Tudehope, spent several years as the director of communications for Catholic Schools despite lacking prior experience in the role or at a media company, though McInerney insisted he was capable and competent. Both John Perrottet, father of Dominic Perrottet, and McInerney have stood aside from their positions during the Icac inquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Rosny investigating?
According to evidence at the New South Wales Independent Commission against Corruption, Icac is looking into allegations that payments made by Catholic Schools NSW and others to the Reformers constituted illegal donations because they were used for political purposes, exceeded donation caps, and were left undeclared.
Who is Dallas McInerney?
Dallas McInerney has served as the CEO of Catholic Schools NSW since its founding nine years ago and acknowledged to Icac that he is a prominent member of the New South Wales Liberal right faction and chair of the right-elected leadership meeting. He has stood aside during the inquiry.
What consultancies received payments from Catholic Schools NSW?
Evidence presented to Icac detailed payments made to Beckington, a consultancy set up by Christian Ellis, and subsequently to JPG Advisory, run by Jeremy Greenwood, with Jean-Claude Perrottet acting as a conduit for the latter arrangement.