3 months ago
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An allegedly corrupt Transport for NSW manager sent WhatsApp messages to a close friend in which he remarked that he was pleased to see his “dodgy contacts” help in arranging large amounts of concrete for him at discounted rates, an inquiry has heard.
The WhatsApp messages were detailed on Tuesday when the anti-corruption inquiry heard allegations that Transport for NSW manager Ibrahim Helmy arranged to receive benefits from contractor Wayne Harrison in the form of discounted concrete from his Seven Hills firm Sydney Mini-Crete.
Kerway Asphalting director Wayne Harrison appears at the ICAC’s public inquiry into kickbacks for work.
The concrete company is an outfit related to Harrison’s family business, Kerway Asphalting, which is alleged to have given Helmy kickbacks for work from Transport for NSW.
It is alleged that in 2023 and 2024 Harrison provided discounted concrete to the value of about $73,000 to Adam Taki, a close friend and associate of Helmy.
Under questioning on Tuesday, Harrison was shown WhatsApp messages between Helmy and Taki on June 20, 2023, in which they discussed arranging for large pours of concrete by Harrison’s Mini-Crete.
“Thank you for saving us on concrete lol,” Taki wrote in a message.
Helmy responded to Taki: “Good to see my dodgy contacts can be a lil [sic] useful in real life applications lol.”
Ibrahim Helmy is alleged to have pocketed $11.5 million in kickbacks, including bundles of cash and gold bullion.Credit: Aresna Villanueva
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating allegations Helmy was the mastermind behind corrupt relationships with nine companies, including Kerway Asphalting, that were paid at least $343 million in contracts by Transport for NSW.
Helmy, 38, is alleged to have pocketed $11.5 million in kickbacks – including bundles of cash, gold bullion and cryptocurrency – over 15 years from contractors, in return for them being awarded work. He failed to appear before the ICAC in May and police have a warrant out for his arrest.
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ICAC counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, asked Harrison whether Helmy was referring to him in the WhatsApp messages, as well as whether it was obvious that the reason he was providing discounted concrete to the then-Transport official’s friend was so that his company Kerway would get favourable treatment.
In response, Harrison said he had no idea who the then-Transport for NSW procurement manager was referring to. “You’ll have to ask him,” Harrison responded.
Harrison was also shown WhatsApp messages between Helmy and Taki in February 2024 in which Helmy said he was “meeting bloody Wayne” and would be confirming “the concrete things”.
Asked whether it was the case that Helmy wanted to talk to him about squaring up matters about the concrete he had provided Taki, Harrison denied that was the case and said they were their WhatsApp messages.
It has been alleged that Kerway Asphalting was awarded about $35 million of work by Transport for NSW between September 2019 and May this year as a result of corrupt dealings with Helmy.
Rankin said it appeared that supplies of concrete to Taki had ended when ICAC’s investigation had become public last year, which was a “very odd coincidence”.
Harrison rejected that assertion, and responded: “Maybe he has finished his concreting.”
Appearing as a witness late on Tuesday, former Transport for NSW senior project engineer David Liu confirmed that he received cash benefits in late 2021 from Jason Chellew, the founder of now-failed Grafton contractor Protection Barriers.
Liu, who left Transport for NSW last April after about 17 years, said he came to receive the cash benefits after Helmy convinced him to become involved in the arrangement with contractors.
He recalled a conversation during which Helmy joked that he should “get on the bandwagon” and “get in bed with contractors”.
Former Transport for NSW senior project engineer David Liu appears before ICAC ON Tuesday.
During a second conversation, Liu said Helmy got more serious and made suggestions about how he had “this really safe way”.
“He said to me, ‘you can inflate the rates’. I was shocked,” Liu said, clarifying that he was shocked that a Transport for NSW procurement officer could inflate contractors’ rates given the oversight at the agency.
“He said, ‘I just changed the rate’ – clear as day.”
Liu said Helmy wanted him to “look the other way” if he wanted to add extra items to contractors’ work, and sign off on it when an invoice was issued.
Questioned about whether he thought what Helmy was suggesting at the time was improper, Liu said: “I ask myself the question, ‘why did you do this’?”
Liu said the reasons he became involved were “personal”, explaining that he felt his career was “going nowhere” after he had missed out on a promotion.
The hearing continues.
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