Jessica McSweeneyUpdated August 14, 2026 — 1:42pm,first published August 14, 2026 — 9:04am1.42pmWhat we covered todayBy Jessica McSweeneyToday’s public hearing has wrapped for the day, but there’s still more evidence to come from Dallas McInerney. He’ll be back before the commission on Wednesday morning, before the ICAC moves on to evidence from former MP David Elliott.We’ll be back next week to bring you live coverage of all the evidence, but before then, let’s recap what we covered today:Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney has denied contracts between the schools body and two Reformer-linked firms were sham arrangements, and insisted to the ICAC that they were paid for genuine government relations work.McInerney insisted that a proposal from Beckington, the company founded by Liberal operatives Christian Ellis and Jeremy Greenwood, was given proper due diligence, despite counsel assisting pointing out several errors, including typos, in their proposal document and providing an ABN registered to Ellis’ sister.McInerney denied that Catholic Schools NSW money was ever intended to go to the Reformers, Ellis’ factional group.The commission was shown private evidence given by Robert Assaf, who claimed that Jeremy Greenwood told him he had discussed the ICAC summons with McInerney before the public hearing. Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin suggested to McInerney that Greenwood told him a way to explain away Jean-Claude Perrottet’s payments from the lobbyist using money from the Catholic Schools NSW contract was that he acted as an intermediary during negotiations. McInerney strongly denied ever discussing his evidence with Greenwood and said that the meeting never happened.Next week the ICAC will hear evidence from former MP David Elliott, current Liberal MP Eleni Petinos and her former chief of staff Cassandra Lawry.12.31pmMcInerney denies colluding with fellow witness before ICAC hearingBy Jessica McSweeneyDallas McInerney has denied claims by Reformer and one-time Catholic Schools NSW staffer Robert Assaf that the schools executive had met with lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood to discuss their ICAC evidence before the public hearings.Assaf told the commission during a private hearing in June that Greenwood told him earlier the same month he had met with McInerney to discuss the summons they had received to appear before the ICAC. McInerney denied meeting Greenwood.Jeremy Greenwood gave evidence at the ICAC on Tuesday.Peter RaeCounsel assisting Juliet Curtin suggested to McInerney that during a meeting with Greenwood, the lobbyist said the way he would account for money being paid to Jean-Claude Perrottet using funds from a Catholic Schools NSW contract came from help with the transition of contracts, and that McInerney did the same.“I don’t recall that ever happening,” McInerney said.11.49amMcInerney questioned on decision to cut Beckington contractBy Jessica McSweeneyDallas McInerney is now being asked about why he terminated the contract between Catholic Schools NSW and Beckington, which has been the focus of this morning’s hearing.In a text to Beckington founder Christian Ellis in 2021, McInerney said: “with Dylan moving on, time for us to wean ourselves off Beckington”. He tells Ellis the contract had lasted 1.5 years.In the messages, Ellis does not attempt to save the contract, but instead corrects that it has been two years, and thanks McInerney.“The support has been great,” he said.Dylan Whitelaw was a key Reformer, who worked for McInerney before working for Ellis at Beckington. The commission has previously heard claims from Whitelaw that the contract between Catholic Schools NSW and Beckington was more accurately “an arrangement” with the understanding that minimal consulting work would be done for the education body, and that activities would instead be undertaken to further the interests of the Reformers.McInerney has repeatedly denied this. He told the commission that he wanted to stop paying Beckington because Christian Ellis “changed domicile”, and instead wanted to pursue a contract with Jeremy Greenwood’s new firm.11.28amMcInerney shown Reformers text messagesBy Jessica McSweeneyCounsel assisting Juliet Curtin is showing Dallas McInerney messages shared between members of the Reformers, including Jean-Claude Perrottet and Robert Assaf, discussing the financial arrangement between McInerney and the company Beckington.Neither men worked for Beckington, but the commission has previously heard evidence that Perrottet was receiving payments from the company.In the texts, Assaf tells Perrottet in April 2021 that he wants to discuss what McInerney told Beckington employee and Reformer Dylan Whitelaw, regarding “Beckington and dollars”.McInerney accepted that there was no reason why Assaf or Perrottet would be concerned about the contract between Beckington and Catholic Schools NSW.“I don’t know why that exchange took place,” McInerney said.He also couldn’t recall ever meeting Jean-Claude Perrottet and Christian Ellis for a “long convo” to discuss money, also referenced in other text messages shown to the commission.10.59amHow we got the photoBy Liam PhelanSome ICAC witnesses go to great lengths to avoid being photographed, mainly by getting car access to the commission and shielding themselves inside the vehicle.Such was the case of Dallas McInerney, who tried to slip into and out of the ICAC on Thursday unnoticed. But experienced Herald photographer Sam Mooy was on the case, joining a media scrum as the car went past in the afternoon.Dallas McInerney leaving the ICAC inquiry on Thursday.Sam MooyMooy said that he positions himself in the safest possible spot to also give him the best chance of getting the shot.“You have to use caution, and above all make sure you don’t put anyone in danger,” he said. “I work out where the subject is in the car and where it’s likely to be going slowest.”10.19amChristian Ellis gave his sister’s ABN in Catholic Schools proposalBy Jessica McSweeneyDallas McInerney has told the commission repeatedly that he did his due diligence when securing a contract with Reformers-linked company Beckington, which he says was for genuine work.Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin has just shown McInerney evidence that when McInerney asked Christian Ellis to provide an ABN for his company, Ellis instead provided one registered to his sister, Dr Samantha Ellis.McInerney said he believed at the time that the ABN belonged to Beckington but relied on his finance department to check it.“Can I suggest to you that the due diligence that was conducted between April and August wasn’t particularly effective?” Curtin said.“It would appear that there was a missing step there. I accept that,” McInerney said.9.49amMcInerney quizzed again on Beckington contract By Jessica McSweeneyDallas McInerney has begun his second day of evidence and the commission is returning to the contract that he negotiated between Catholic Schools NSW and Beckington, the lobbying firm linked to key Reformers.The ICAC is investigating whether the contract to pay Beckington $6000 a month for government relations services was actually a way to disguise political donations to support the work of the Reformers, the right-wing factional group working to stack Liberal branches with more conservatives.Dallas McInerney also gave evidence on Thursday. ICACBeckington was founded by Reformer Christian Ellis and Liberal-linked lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood.So far, McInerney has emphatically denied the allegation and has instead told the commission that the contract was for genuine work and that he did his “due diligence”.8.01amHow key ICAC witness Dallas McInerney turned from helpful to hot under the collarBy Kate McClymontDespite 13 being considered an unlucky number, the 13th day of Sydney’s bombshell corruption inquiry opened with the promise that the tide of deflections and dismal recollections from previous witnesses was finally going to change.Was there going to be a rollover witness at last?Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney is chaperoned from the ICAC after giving evidence on Thursday.Sam MooySitting in the witness box, with a sheen of feverish sweat across his brow, was Dallas James McInerney, who recently stepped aside as the chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW.“I understand that you are eager to assist the commission in the conduct of this inquiry?” counsel assisting Juliet Curtin asked the 53-year-old.7.59amNext week’s witness list revealedBy Jessica McSweeneyThe ICAC has just released the witness list for next week. It includes one of Jean Nassif’s political enemies and a sitting MP.There won’t be a hearing on Monday or Tuesday, but when we return on Wednesday, former Baulkham Hills MP David Elliott is expected to give evidence. Elliott is not a person of interest in this inquiry. Rather, the ICAC is investigating whether Nassif made donations to Liberal Party figures Jeremy Greenwood, Christian Ellis and Charles Perrottet in exchange for pursuing his interests, including damaging Elliott’s political career.David Elliott is due to give evidence on Wednesday.Jessica HromasOn Thursday, we’ll hear from Cassandra Lawry, who was chief of staff to MP Eleni Petinos when she was minister for small business and fair trading in the last Coalition government.Petinos herself is due to give evidence on Friday, the second now sitting MP to do so, after Damien Tudehope appeared last week, admitting that he leaked a confidential committee report to Greenwood. 7.42amWelcome to today’s live coverageBy Jessica McSweeneyGood morning, and welcome to another Operation Rosny public hearing. I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and along with the Herald’s senior writers, we’ll bring you all the latest news and analysis from inside the hearing as it happens.Today, Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney will return to the witness boss to continue answering questions about lucrative contracts he awarded to government relations firms linked to the Reformers – a Liberal Party conservative factional group.But first, let’s take a look at what we covered yesterday:Dallas McInerney rejected suggestions that the contract between Catholic Schools NSW and Beckington, a company linked to Liberal factional group the Reformers, was illegitimate and insisted that he was seeking genuine government relations services. The ICAC is investigating allegations that the contract was actually a way to disguise political donations to support the factional work of the Reformers.McInerney said he sought the advice of then-NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet when he was considering entering into a contract with Beckington. He claimed that Perrottet was favourable to the company founders Christian Ellis, a long-time Liberal Party staffer, and lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood.After being shown evidence that McInerney and Catholic Schools NSW staffer James Tudehope helped to correct errors in draft proposals from Beckington and suggested things that should be added into their proposals, McInerney rejected suggestions that this showed him creating a “veneer of legitimacy”. He said he was simply doing due diligence and making sure that Beckington’s services aligned with the needs of Catholic Schools NSW.After evidence before the ICAC earlier in the week that NSW Liberal MP Chris Rath helped the Reformers to avoid a 2023 parliamentary inquiry by keeping them abreast of the committee’s deliberations, Rath has now been stood down as NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane’s representative on the party’s state executive. He remains on the frontbench.McInerney denied that he asked now-federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor for money to support the Reformers. When shown texts from Reformer Dylan Whitelaw that claimed McInerney secured ongoing donations from Taylor, McInerney suggested Whitelaw may have lied or boasted.Taylor’s press secretary Kane Silom rebuked 10 News political editor Ashleigh Raper after she asked Taylor questions about the ICAC evidence yesterday morning. “Are your ratings that bad,” he shot at Raper, calling her questions a “disgrace”. “What? Asking questions about an ICAC inquiry?” Raper retorted.You can follow the hearing live stream here.1 of 1