ICAC Operation Rosny LIVE updates: Liberal Reformer operative, former Catholic Schools NSW employee Robert Assaf to appear

The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (ICAC) hearings have exposed a web of scandals in New South Wales politics. At the center of this controversy is the connection between Liberal Party operatives, fugitive property developers, and even Catholic Schools NSW.

Robert Assaf, a key figure in the ICAC inquiry, will testify alongside Dylan Whitelaw, whose damning evidence revealed the extent to which factional warfare has infiltrated the Liberal Party’s Reformers faction. The faction, led by figures like David Elliott’s opponents, has allegedly used “shit sheets” and underhanded tactics to discredit its rivals.

The scope of this scandal is staggering. Chris Spence, a former chief of staff to Anthony Roberts, leaked damaging information about David Chandler during budget estimates hearings. This was not simply an instance of factional politics, but an attempt to compromise public officials and influence policy for private gain. Eleni Petinos’s role in the affair raises questions about her suitability for office and whether she should have used her position as fair trading minister to further her own interests.

Angus Taylor’s denial of any wrongdoing, despite earlier claims of promised donations to the Reformers faction, only adds to the stench of corruption. The Liberal Party has long touted its commitment to transparency and accountability, yet its members are embroiled in this very same kind of behavior.

Jean Nassif, the fugitive property developer at the center of Operation Rosny, has connections to key Liberal Party figures and Catholic Schools NSW. His involvement raises serious questions about the intersection of politics and business. What does this say about New South Wales’s priorities? Are we allowing powerful interests to shape policy for their own benefit?

The implications of Operation Rosny go far beyond just the individuals involved. They speak to a deeper issue: the erosion of public trust in our institutions. We need to ask ourselves what kind of politics we’re building – one that rewards loyalty and cronyism, or one that prioritizes integrity and transparency.

It’s time for our leaders to take responsibility for this rot. Are they willing to confront it head-on, or will they continue to enable it? The people of New South Wales deserve better than the business-as-usual attitude we’ve seen so far.