The handshake deal and the broken agreement: Former Strathfield mayor before ICAC

September 14, 2026 — 12:12pmFollow our live coverage of the inquiry here.Former Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore has told a corruption inquiry that his relationship with fellow Labor councillors Sharangan Maheswaran and Karen Pensabene became strained after he sacked the council’s general manager about six weeks into his term.The relationship broke down after the general manager was sacked in March 2022 and the trio went from joining each other for drinks or dinner after council meetings to barely speaking, the Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard.Matthew Blackmore was sworn in on Monday morning.ICACBlackmore is appearing before the commission as it investigates whether Maheswaran and/or Pensabene engaged in dishonest conduct, including blackmail or possible surveillance, when the three were on council. Blackmore is not a person of interest in the inquiry, codenamed Operation Rosny.Pensabane remains on the council with Blackmore, who is now an independent, but Maheswaran, who was a senior executive and lawyer for disgraced developer Jean Nassif, is no longer a councillor.Nassif will make a long-awaited appearance via video link from Lebanon later on Monday. He has rescheduled once, citing health concerns, and is wanted in Australia on serious fraud charges.The commission was told on Monday morning about a meeting that Blackmore says he had with Labor councillors, including Pensabene, to reach a hand-shake deal on who would become Strathfield mayor in early 2022.Blackmore told the commission an agreement was reached that he would take the mayoral position for the first year of the term, and then a Labor councillor, probably Pensabene, would take over for the remainder of the term. Blackmore ultimately did not stick to that agreement.He said that another councillor, Nella Hall, became angry and wanted Blackmore instead to sign an agreement with her to support her as mayor.“Did you intend to honour this agreement?” asked counsel assisting Hugo Wilesmith.“No,” Blackmore said.Wilesmith: “But you signed it to placate Councillor Hall?”“Yes,” Blackmore responded.Wilesmith then pressed Blackmore on his knowledge of property developers and asked about how he came to know the developer Charlie Demian, who was pursuing a development in Homebush. They were introduced by the former Strathfield mayor Antoine Doueihi, the commission was told.At their meetings, mostly at a local cafe called Joe’s in Homebush, Demian communicated to Blackmore his frustrations about his development not progressing.Demian said he had also met with Maheswaran, whom he believed would support his development, the commission heard.“Is it fair to say Mr Demian tried to lobby you?” Wilesmith asked.From our partners