When Michael Jones bought his first home in 2017, his wife was pregnant with their first child.
asserted
wife → buy → child
The two-bedroom apartment at Toplace's Vicinity complex in Sydney was meant to be their "nest egg", a place to build memories for the young family.
asserted
apartment → mean → family
Nine years and two more children later, his family has long outgrown the apartment.
asserted
family → outgrow → apartment
But major structural defects in the complex have left them financially trapped.
asserted
defects → leave → them
"We certainly didn't imagine that there would be three children stacked up in bunks in the same room,"the 40-year-old said.
"It certainly puts off the dreams and aspirations that you would have when you're my age …
asserted
you → imagine → that
I would have expected by now that I would have a house that fits the amount of people that we have.
asserted
we → expect → that
"
Mr Jones is one of thousands of Toplace apartment owners left to pick up the pieces of the company's collapse amid a dramatic inquiry before the NSW Independent Corruption Against Corruption (ICAC).
asserted
Jones → leave → Corruption
At the heart of it all is Toplace founder, Jean Nassif, who has remained defiant as he continues to defend the crumbled property empire he built.
asserted
he → remain → empire
At Vicinity, temporary steel props have been supporting parts of the building since 2022, after engineers raised concerns about key structural beams.
asserted
engineers → support → beams
Owners have faced repair estimates running into the millions, with one structural issue alone estimated at $11 million.
asserted
issue → face → million
Mr Jones projects he has spent an additional $150,000 on strata costs and repairs since 2017.
asserted
he → project → 2017
He said the apartments that once sold for as much as $800,000 may now be worth as little as $250,000 to $380,000.
uncertain
that → say → 800,000
It has meant there is little escape for the owners.
asserted
It → mean → owners
Many are struggling to refinance, cannot sell without suffering huge losses, and are carrying debts on homes they cannot easily leave.
asserted
they → struggle → homes
Some neighbours have taken on extra jobs.
asserted
neighbours → take → jobs
"The irony of having the last name Jones and not even being able to 'keep up with the Joneses' is not lost on me," he said.
asserted
he → have → me
'No-one can make me shut up!'
asserted
me → make → ?
During Mr Nassif's highly-anticipated appearance at the ICAC this week, where he appeared twice, his rage was palpable.
asserted
rage → anticipate → ICAC
Appearing via video call from his bedroom in Beirut, he spent several hours protesting his innocence, ranting and lashing out.
asserted
he → appear → innocence
At one point, Assistant Commissioner Fabian Gleeson SC intervened, prompting another tirade from Mr Nassif.
asserted
SC → intervene → Nassif
Mr Gleeson: "The purpose of this inquiry is to get to the truth of certain allegations.
asserted
purpose → get → allegations
It's not for you to attack other people.
asserted
you → attack → people
"I'd like you to just pause, no, no.
asserted
you → like → ?
I've listened to you."
asserted
I → listen → you
No-one can make me shut up."
asserted
me → make → ?
The 58-year-old, who is wanted by NSW Police on fraud charges, denied he was hiding from Australian authorities in Lebanon, claiming he has not returned because he has faced multiple death threats.
He told the inquiry he was not corrupt, and blamed former Liberal minister David Elliott and former state building commissioner David Chandler for the demise of Toplace.
Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC put to Mr Nassif: "They [Mr Chandler and Mr Elliott] alleged that there were structural defects with Toplace projects, is that right?"
"They alleged that.
asserted
They → want → that
That's not true," Mr Nassif said.
asserted
Nassif → say → ?
Mr Nassif has been accused of trying to damage Mr Elliott's career and have Mr Chandler removed as the commissioner to stop him investigating Mr Nassif's developments.
asserted
Chandler → accuse → developments
Both Mr Elliott and Mr Chandler are not accused of any wrongdoing.
asserted
Elliott → accuse → wrongdoing
Mr Chandler found multiple defects in several Toplace buildings and used his appearance earlier in the inquiry to point to the "real victims": the owners and occupiers.
asserted
Chandler → find → victims
The head of the residential strata body, Owners Corporation Network, Karen Stiles, told the ABC the damage could not be measured in dollars alone.
"It was hell on earth for the owners.
uncertain
It → tell → owners
Tenants too were subjected to disruptions, poor living conditions, noise, and stress," Ms Stiles said.
asserted
Stiles → subject → disruptions
Ms Stiles recalled residents being forced out of their homes with little warning, sometimes unable to retrieve pets of belongings.
asserted
residents → recall → belongings
She said one elderly couple built a makeshift dam in their lounge room to keep floodwater out, while another woman had to be rescued after her apartment door jammed with subsidence.
asserted
door → say → subsidence
"I could say that serious defects impacted owners physically, financially, and emotionally.
uncertain
defects → say → owners
But that's just words," she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
Ms Stiles added that many owners were left grieving the "death of their dream home".
"
asserted
owners → add → home
While ICAC investigates corruption, exposing small people playing silly games, let's give a thought to the thousands of victims of the cavalier chess moves played with their lives," she said.
asserted
she → investigate → lives
'Unedifying' evidence at ICAC
Former ICAC assistant commissioner and chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, Anthony Whealy KC, said the inquiry has "shone a very unedifying light" on activities between the state's Liberal Party, lobbyists, and developers like Mr Nassif.
asserted
inquiry → say → Nassif
While Mr Whealy believes the commission has been well-represented by counsel assisting, he said proving that it goes beyond the ugly side of politics will be difficult.
asserted
it → believe → politics
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
