‘Shame is the punishment’: as Icac delves into the shadowy Reformers, ‘whales’ are coming to the surface
Guardian AU
•Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:31 GMT
📰 What Happened
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) is holding hearings into a group of young Liberals known as 'the Reformers', alleged to have taken illegal donations to fund branch stacking and seize control of the party. The donors named include Catholic Schools NSW, a hotelier and fugitive property developer Jean Nassif, all of whom would have breached caps and bans if the payments count as political donations. As the second week of hearings ended, senior Liberal figures including Jean-Claude Perrottet were being dragged into the inquiry.
🔍 The Backstory
Property developers and the hotel industry are banned from donating to NSW political parties, and all donations are capped and must be declared. The Reformers allegedly sought to shift the Liberal party toward more conservative positions on issues like abortion and climate change.
🎯 Why It Matters
The hearings go to the heart of how political donations can buy influence and rig party preselections in Australia's largest state. For NSW voters, the outcome could reshape the Liberal party's leadership and policies.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) is holding hearings into a group of young Liberals known as 'the Reformers', alleged to have taken illegal donations to fund branch stacking and seize control of the party. The donors named include Catholic Schools NSW, a hotelier and fugitive property developer Jean Nassif, all of whom would have breached caps and bans if the payments count as political donations. As the second week of hearings ended, senior Liberal figures including Jean-Claude Perrottet were being dragged into the inquiry.
Property developers and the hotel industry are banned from donating to NSW political parties, and all donations are capped and must be declared. The Reformers allegedly sought to shift the Liberal party toward more conservative positions on issues like abortion and climate change.
The hearings go to the heart of how political donations can buy influence and rig party preselections in Australia's largest state. For NSW voters, the outcome could reshape the Liberal party's leadership and policies.