ICAC Operation Rosny LIVE updates: Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney to appear

8.53amWho is Dallas McInerneyBy Jessica McSweeneyDallas McInerney is a Liberal Party power broker and CEO to the education body with authority over close to 600 Catholic schools in NSW. Now, he’s the ICAC’s next star witness, due to be grilled on contracts awarded from Catholic Schools NSW to companies linked to Liberal Party factional allies. Catholic Schools NSW head Dallas McInerney, who has stepped aside, will face the corruption inquiry today.Rhett WymanThe anti-corruption body is investigating allegations that contracts awarded to companies Beckington and JPG Advisory were not genuine consultancies, but actually a way to disguise political donations using Catholic Schools NSW money to fund recruitment activities. McInerney has stood aside from his role while the investigation plays out. 8.31amThe pub session after secret ICAC evidenceBy Bevan ShieldsOn June 24 last year, as Sydney basked in its warmest weather of the month, lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood spent the morning being grilled during a secret preliminary examination at the ICAC.At the end of the interrogation, senior ICAC officials explicitly told Greenwood not to discuss his attendance or the contents of the examination with anyone other than his three-person legal team. It was the last thing said to Greenwood before the 37-year-old former political staffer walked out the door. Breaching the direction can result in 12 months in jailBut that same afternoon, Greenwood travelled four kilometres east to the Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay, stepped inside and sat down with his close friend Jean-Claude Perrottet who, along with Greenwood, is featuring prominently in ICAC’s latest blockbuster inquiry, Operation Rosny. It would be the first of many such questionable meetings or phone calls between Greenwood and those panicked by being caught up in the probe.CCTV from the Double Bay encounter shows the pair placing their phones two metres from their table, in an apparent attempt to make sure any law enforcement agencies listening could not hear the conversation that followed.8.28amWelcome to today’s hearingBy Jessica McSweeneyHello and welcome to our live coverage of today’s ICAC hearing, I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney and along with the Herald’s senior writers, we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from the corruption inquiry as it happens.Today we are moving on to a new witness, Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney. The ICAC is investigating if consultant contracts between the schools body and companies linked to Liberal Party figures were not for genuine consulting work, but actually a way to disguise political donations.First let’s recap what we covered yesterday:Jeremy Greenwood paid for his friend Jean-Claude Perrottet to stay in Fiji for two weeks to avoid a 2023 parliamentary inquiry, and gave him $25,000 in loans he hoped Jean Nassif would pay for.Private security was arranged by Jean Nassif’s employee Sharangan Maheswaran to help Greenwood avoid that same inquiry.Jean-Claude Perrottet said in text messages he was in contact with upper house MP Chris Rath during the 2023 inquiry, and that Rath would pass on information to him from a committee meeting while Perrottet and others avoided giving evidence.Greenwood paid Jean-Claude Perrottet half the amount received from a Catholic Schools NSW contract because he helped Greenwood secure the client, not for any ongoing work, Greenwood said.Greenwood and Jean-Claude Perrottet met at a pub after the former gave confidential evidence to the ICAC in 2025, and was warned not to discuss it with anyone. The pair left their phone on a different table, the commission heard. Greenwood said he could not recall if he discussed his evidence.In a heated portion of evidence Greenwood snapped at someone in the hearing room “don’t give me that look” prompting a swift warning from presiding commissioner Fabian Gleeson that he be respectful.A text to Jean-Claude Perrottet referring to “filthy schools money” was a joke, not evidence that his arrangement to pay his friend using Catholic Schools NSW money was bogus, Greenwood said.You can follow the hearing live stream here. 1 of 1