The wife of a Liberal Party powerbroker denies turning on disappearing messages between herself and another witness facing a corruption inquiry on a day he gave evidence.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating allegations prohibited political donations were funnelled through third parties to support a right-wing faction of the Liberal Party, known as the Reformers.
Anita Perrottet, the wife of former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet's brother Charles, fronted the commission to continue giving evidence on Friday.
Earlier this week, the inquiry heard Ms Perrottet’s consulting company was paid more than $250,000 by lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood for what she said was three months of consulting work.
She was asked by the commission on Wednesday to return to the stand with any text exchanges between herself and Mr Greenwood, but only produced an empty thread from encrypted messaging service WhatsApp.
The messages between herself and Mr Greenwood, which she said were exchanged while conducting business, were no longer visible because she had turned on a feature that made them disappear after 24 hours.
However, she denied a suggestion by Counsel Assisting Peggy Dwyer SC she did so on August 10, a date visible in a screenshot on the empty thread and the day Mr Greenwood was on the stand.
“I think I've always had disappearing messages,” Ms Perrottet said.
She rejected Ms Dwyer’s suggestion it did not make sense to have no written record of work conducted with Mr Greenwood.
“It's just the way it's always been. Just the way we are,” Ms Perrottet said.
The commission is also investigating allegations Liberal Party operatives, including Charles Perrottet, sought cash from fugitive Sydney developer Jean Nassif in exchange for political outcomes.
Ms Perrottet was shown an email from her work account in which she appeared to advocate for a development by Nassif’s company Toplace.
She had previously said she never worked for Nassif and only knew about him because of media reports.
Ms Dwyer suggested Charles Perrottet was working for Nassif, and money was being paid through Ms Perrottet’s consulting company - a suggestion she denied.
Ms Perrottet repeatedly said she could not remember when asked about various details in relation to the email, and said she may have been the one to send the email but did not recall.
“It's completely implausible that you sent that email,” Ms Dwyer said.
“Like I said, I don't remember,” Ms Perrottet replied.
