NSW Liberal leader defers decision on Tudehope after Icac leak revelations

New South Wales Liberal leader Kellie Sloane has deferred a decision on frontbencher Damien Tudehope until after the Icac inquiry concludes, following revelations he leaked a confidential draft report. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

Tudehope admitted to leaking the report to fellow Reformer Jeremy Greenwood in February 2023. Sloane told reporters: "Damien cooperated with the inquiry. He was thanked by the inquiry and he was released from his summons. The leaking of a report is never good. It's a standard that I don't accept."

Sloane said she spoke to Tudehope about the matter, but his status remains unchanged: he is not in the shadow cabinet for the remainder of the hearings. "I will make a consideration once Icac proceedings have finalised," she added.

Tudehope, the Liberal leader in the upper house, has stepped aside from his shadow cabinet roles during the inquiry. He employed Jean-Claude Perrottet as a staffer in his electoral and ministerial offices in 2018 and 2019.

Icac is investigating whether members of the so-called Reformers, including Jean-Claude Perrottet, solicited or accepted illegal donations for the recruitment or renewal of Liberal party members. This practice, known as branch stacking, is not illegal.

On Wednesday, Jean-Claude Perrottet, the younger brother of former premier Dominic Perrottet, gave evidence to Icac. He admitted to doing factional work during office hours and that the group signed up members to "dodgy" branches controlled by rival factions.

The inquiry heard evidence that in 2020, Jean-Claude and Christian Ellis asked businessman Frits Maré for $50,000 to unseat federal MP Alex Hawke. Messages between Reformers revealed comments about the ethnicity of new members.

Jean-Claude Perrottet was promoted to head of communications in May this year but was made redundant by Catholic Schools NSW in June. He said he was told it was due to office changes but acknowledged thinking about the timing.

The Icac inquiry continues, and Sloane said she will decide on Tudehope's future once it concludes.