Dodgy donations, desperate denials in Liberals probe The first week of an explosive inquiry investigating potential corrupt conduct in the Liberal Party has shown how factionalism thrives behind closed doors. AAP · Jul 31
How the ‘Braveheart’ tribe of young Liberals descended from the Hills only to have their kilts lifted by Icac Icac is investigating whether the NSW Liberals sub-faction took illegal donations and broke electoral funding laws The Guardian - AU · Jul 31
‘Rob has the bucks cash’: NSW Liberals used Reformers funds to pay for ‘personal expenditure’, Icac hears Robert Assaf separately tells anti-corruption inquiry money funnelled through lobbying firm to create ‘maximum benefit from a tax perspective’ The Guardian - AU · Jul 31
‘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 The Guardian - AU · Jul 30
Liberal faction gave 'bogus' invoices for donations Factional infighting within the Liberal Party has been compared to epic war film Braveheart by a conservative Christian faction member at a corruption hearing. AAP · Jul 30
Icac hits paydirt as Reformers’ ‘shit sheets’ are given a very public airing Dirt files are always damaging – not least those originating in the secretive rightwing Reformers sub-faction of the party The Guardian - AU · Jul 29
Young Liberal power brokers created ‘shit sheet’ on NSW minister accusing him of extramarital affair David Elliott denies having affair after document revealed during Icac hearing into corruption allegations The Guardian - AU · Jul 29
'No payment was made': Liberal leader denies donation Angus Taylor's name has been brought up in a NSW corruption inquiry over reported donations to a conservative Liberal Party faction. AAP · Jul 29
Angus Taylor insists he made no payments to conservative Liberal group amid Icac investigation Opposition leader says he is ‘not a party to proceedings’ being investigated by NSW corruption watchdog as fellow Liberals close ranks The Guardian - AU · Jul 29
Angus Taylor has inadvertently taken centre stage in an Icac hearing – and the fallout could be profound If the opposition leader was funding one side of a vicious factional war, it would be hard for many in the party to stomach The Guardian - AU · Jul 28
‘Shake down Angus’: Taylor named as potential donor to NSW Liberal ‘Reformers’ being investigated by Icac Federal opposition leader, who is not accused of wrongdoing, says he won’t provide ‘running commentary on matters before commission’ The Guardian - AU · Jul 28
Liberal leader's name drawn into corruption probe A conservative Liberal Party faction sought to "shake down" now-party leader Angus Taylor for donations, a corruption inquiry has been told. AAP · Jul 28
Secret tape recordings and ‘sham’ payments: the Liberals’ internal ideological war laid bare The NSW anti-corruption watchdog has begun a public inquiry into allegations of branch stacking, illegal donations and interference with preselections The Guardian - AU · Jul 27
Senior politicians supported young NSW Liberal power brokers trying to shift party to right, corruption watchdog hears So-called ‘Reformers’ hosted recruitment functions with speakers including Tony Abbott and Alan Jones The Guardian - AU · Jul 27
The Guardian - AU · Jul 11 The Hills were alive with a NSW Liberal factional war – now the corruption watchdog is sniffing around Thanks to two hearings involving serious allegations of corrupt conduct in 2022 involving political operatives in Sydney’s Hills district, the party now faces an existential crisis