Liberal operative was offered $1,000 to get media to cover ‘grubby rumour’ minister was having affair, Icac hears

Source: The Guardian 1 hour ago

Sharangan Maheswaran says his bid for story on unsubstantiated rumour about then-Liberal minister David Elliott was ‘not a serious offer’

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

A lawyer for fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered a Liberal operative $1,000 if he could get media to write about an unsubstantiated extramarital affair and breach of Covid-19 restrictions by a New South Wales minister, the anti-corruption watchdog has heard.

Sharangan Maheswaran told the Independent Commission Against Corruption a message to lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood about placing a story about former Liberal minister David Elliott, was “not a serious offer”. He was shown a message to Greenwood in which he wrote he was “not joking”.

This is a summary. Read the complete story at the original publisher:

Read the full article on The Guardian →

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/23/sharangan-maheswaran-jean-nassif-david-elliott-affair-rumour-icac-ntwnfb

Liberal operative was offered $1,000 to get media to cover ‘grubby rumour’ minister was having affair, Icac hears

More in World

Australia news live: Albanese meets with Japan’s PM for first time since melon-gate; police offer $1m for Gus Lamont information

Jesse Baird ‘petrified’ of Beau Lamarre-Condon and kept repeating ‘he has a gun’, court hears

Senior Liberals rubbish Barnaby Joyce’s claim of talks over deal with One Nation as ‘figment of his imagination’

Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as officials from both countries meet on sidelines

Australia news live: police offer $1m for information about Gus Lamont; Trump and Albanese ‘catch up’ on sidelines of UN summit

Australia news live: Albanese and Trump pose for selfie at UN summit; Hume claims no knowledge of Liberals-One Nation power-sharing talks