NSW Liberal Party Reformers faction investigated for alleged illegal donations and branch-stacking
Consensus Summary
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) is investigating the NSW Reformers, a conservative faction within the Liberal Party, for alleged illegal donations and branch-stacking. Co-founder Robert Assaf, 30, testified that the group aimed to recruit 5,000 Christian conservative members to influence party policies, though sources differ on whether the group was founded in 2017 or 2018. Assaf admitted the Reformers did not initially believe electoral laws applied to them, despite working with figures like Damien Tudehope and Angus Taylor, who were aware of their activities. The Guardian reports the group allegedly received $2m from Jean Nassif, while ABC details $5,000 monthly payments from Michael O’Hara to Christian Ellis’s firm. Both sources agree the Reformers targeted left-wing branches and secured state executive representation, though ABC notes they recruited 1,200 members by 2020. Contradictions remain over founding dates and specific financial details, but the core issue is whether the Reformers violated political funding laws.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Robert Assaf, 30, co-founded the Reformers in 2017 alongside Christian Ellis
- The Reformers aimed to recruit 5,000 Christian conservative members to the Liberal Party
- The Liberal Party had 4,000 members at the time the Reformers were recruiting
- Jean-Claude Perrottet and Charles Perrottet were named in Icac allegations related to the Reformers
- Damien Tudehope gave talks at Reformers events and was associated with the group
- Angus Taylor was aware of the Reformers’ activities and was not opposed to them
- The Reformers were investigated for allegedly soliciting or accepting undeclared donations, including $2m from Jean Nassif
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Assaf admitted to being one of two founding members of the Reformers in 2017
- The Reformers allegedly took $2m in payments from Jean Nassif in exchange for political outcomes
- Assaf described the Reformers as a group of 20-year-olds trying to figure things out
- Assaf attended a 2015 talk by Damien Tudehope at Sydney University Liberal Club against the Safe Schools program
- The Reformers’ plan included a draft document detailing recruitment of 5,000 members to take control of the NSW Liberal Party
- Assaf said the Reformers wanted to change policies on same-sex marriage, transgender rights, abortion, and euthanasia
- The Reformers were founded in 2018, not 2017
- The Reformers recruited 1,200 new members by 2020
- Michael O’Hara made $5,000 monthly payments to Beckington (Christian Ellis’s firm) for consulting work, which was never provided
- The Reformers took over the Coffs Harbour branch in 2018
- Assaf conceded the Reformers strategically placed new members in certain local branches
- Assaf said Jean-Claude Perrottet was reimbursing the cost of memberships for friends
- Assaf mentioned Concetta Fierravanti Wells and Tony Abbott as key federal backers of the Reformers
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the Reformers were founded in 2017, but ABC states they were founded in 2018
- The Guardian mentions $2m in payments from Jean Nassif, but ABC does not reference this amount or donor
- The Guardian states the Reformers aimed to recruit 5,000 members without specifying a timeline, while ABC states they recruited 1,200 members by 2020
- The Guardian says Assaf attended a 2015 talk by Damien Tudehope, but ABC does not mention this specific date or event
Source Articles
‘Warring kingdoms’: cofounder of religious Reformers compares NSW Liberal party factionalism to Braveheart
Robert Assaf tells Icac that Angus Taylor wasn’t ‘that involved’ but the federal opposition leader ‘definitely wasn’t opposed’ to work of conservative group A member of a group of young conservative Liberal power brokers being investigated for allegedly soliciting illegal donations has compared their factional work to Mel Gibson’s Braveheart – and said they “didn’t think the law applied to us” when it came to political funding. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Thursday hea
'Didn't think the law applied to us': NSW Reformers in spotlight at ICAC
Robert Assaf, co-founder of the NSW Reformers, has fronted a corruption inquiry for the fourth day of hearings.