‘Didn’t seem upset’: ICAC told former Strathfield mayor was not bothered by dirt sheet

Homebush real estate agent Mohammad Abedin has claimed the former mayor of Strathfield Matthew Blackmore did not seem particularly distressed after a flyer outlining a host of negative allegations about him was planted on his car.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard allegations that Sharangan Maheswaran, a former Labor Strathfield councillor and lawyer at collapsed construction company Toplace, was behind the dirt sheet on Blackmore.

The “shit sheet” was part of a pressure campaign from Maheswaran to force Blackmore to resign as mayor so fellow Labor councillor Karen Pensabene could take the job, the commission has heard.

The commission is investigating whether Maheswaran and Pensabene “engaged in conduct towards Strathfield Councillor Matthew Blackmore that involves the dishonest or partial exercise of their official functions and/or a breach of public trust, including conduct which could involve blackmail and/or possible breaches of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007”.

Abedin, who worked with Blackmore at Inner West Property, told the commission on Thursday that he could not comment on whether the former mayor was distressed to see the flyer on his car.

“Sorry, you’re saying he didn’t seem upset to you. Is that right?” Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin asked Abedin. “Yeah, didn’t seem upset,” Abedin responded.

Abedin was shown the flyer allegedly made by Maheswaran, but he said he did not recall seeing it.

Curtin pointed Abedin to evidence he gave in a private hearing in 2023 describing negative “marketing material”. Abedin said he saw different material.

Abedin told the commission he first met Maheswaran at a Homebush café with Blackmore but the pair became more friendly around the time Abedin’s business collapsed in 2023.

Abedin said he was still in contact with Maheswaran, who would sometimes give him free legal advice, the commission heard.

While he remains friendly with Maheswaran, Abedin told the commission that his professional relationship with Blackmore broke down in 2023, about the time Abedin’s company was collapsing.

The pair had a verbal agreement for Blackmore to buy into Abedin’s Inner West Property business, but that deal fell through. Blackmore paid for renovations to the office when he believed the pair were going to become business partners.