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AAP
AAP
Politics
Luke Costin and Duncan Murray

Premier welcomes Liberal Party probe into Hills Council

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has welcomed an investigation by the Liberal Party state director into allegations of impropriety surrounding the Hills Shire Council, which involves two of his brothers.

The move represents a shift in Mr Perrottet's attitude towards the allegations, having previously accused a parliamentary inquiry of having political motivations.

"Anyone who has done anything wrong in relation to (these matters), they will have the book thrown at them and that's exactly what I expect to occur," Mr Perrottet told 2GB on Friday.

An Upper House inquiry into collusion between property developers and members of the council reported on Thursday it had been stifled by key witnesses refusing to appear to give evidence, including Charles and Jean-Claude Perrottet.

Mr Perrottet previously called the inquiry "a political stunt by the Labor Party".

Both of Mr Perrottet's brothers have also raised concerns over the impartiality of the inquiry, with Charles Perrottet calling some committee members' comments, "partisan, ill-informed, speculative and defamatory".

Jean-Claude Perrottet told the committee this week he was overseas and would not appear, while stating it was clear he would "never receive procedural fairness".

The developer at the centre of the saga, Toplace director Jean Nassif, also declined to appear before the inquiry, which he was offered the opportunity to do via videolink from overseas.

The NSW fair trading minister said on Friday he has no sympathy for the prominent Sydney developer being barred from building in the city.

Mr Nassif complained to the Sydney Morning Herald that he'd been unfairly targetted by "corrupt commissioners and ministers" after his building licences were cancelled and his daughter was separately charged with fraud.

"I have no sympathy for Jean Nassif or Toplace. None at all," Fair Trading Minister Victor Dominello said.

"I work very, very closely with the building commissioner and I know the position in relation to Toplace.

Mr Nassif rose to national attention in 2019 when a viral video showed him giving his wife a yellow Lamborghini and asking her: "Mrs Nassif, you like?"

He was one of the key witnesses sought by an NSW upper house inquiry examining development activities in Sydney's northwest, but said he was unable to assist due to being in rural Lebanon.

He has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the parliamentary investigation or the bank loan.

"None of it is true. Nothing. I never did anything wrong," he told the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday evening.

"It is a lie, a fabrication of the police officers, they've been instructed by certain commissioners and certain ministers."

The developer, now apparently in the Philippines, said he would return home to Australia when he was well enough to travel, describing himself as "a very fair man".

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