Former New South Wales minister Eleni Petinos was questioned by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Aug. 19 [1].
The hearing is part of a broader probe into whether political decisions were improperly influenced by relationships between government officials and party operatives. If proven, such links would suggest a systemic failure in governance and a breach of public trust within the former Perrottet government.
Petinos, a member of the former government, appeared at ICAC headquarters in Sydney to be questioned over her relationship with Liberal Party power-brokers [1]. This line of questioning is a central component of Operation Rosny, an investigation into alleged links between party operatives, Catholic Schools NSW, and property developer Jean Nassif [1, 2].
ICAC is investigating whether Petinos maintained an improper relationship with these power-brokers that could have swayed political outcomes [1, 3]. The commission is examining these ties within the wider context of alleged corruption involving Nassif [1, 3].
Operation Rosny has now reached its midway mark [3]. This milestone comes after approximately two weeks of hearings [3]. The investigation continues to scrutinize the intersection of private development interests and public policy decisions in New South Wales.
While Petinos was the focus of the Aug. 19 session, other figures from the previous administration have also been called to testify [2]. The proceedings aim to determine if the influence of party brokers bypassed official channels to benefit specific private interests.
“Former NSW minister Eleni Petinos was questioned by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).”
The questioning of a former minister indicates that Operation Rosny is moving beyond low-level operatives to examine the highest levels of the previous NSW government. By focusing on the relationship between party power-brokers and property developers, ICAC is attempting to map how informal networks may have dictated official government policy, which could lead to findings of systemic corruption.
