Key ICAC witness and explosive texts could be kryptonite for Angus Taylor

July 29, 2026 — 1:55pm

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The Independent Commission Against Corruption left an unexploded political bomb on the doorstep of federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor this week. He had the chance to defuse it, but curiously did not immediately take it.

The corruption watchdog’s examination of an attempted takeover of the NSW Liberal Party by right-wing powerbrokers was always going to pose a risk to those close to the key players.

While Dominic Perrottet has not been accused of any wrongdoing, the fact that two of his brothers are being investigated by the ICAC creates potential for the former premier to be inadvertently caught up in the fallout. The alleged behaviour of some others in the ICAC’s sights could also cause headaches for serving state Liberal MPs.

Taylor’s kryptonite is the former chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW Dallas McInerney. McInerney wielded huge influence as the leader of the right-wing faction of the NSW Liberals and was intimately involved in a plot by an ultra-conservative group known as the Reformers to take over branches across the state.

ICAC alleges the Reformers may have used illegal and undeclared donations to carry out the scheme over the course of five years. One focus of the ICAC’s investigation is whether McInerney used Catholic Schools NSW funds and resources to funnel........

© WA Today