ICAC's Operation Spicer will call Darren Williams into the witness box after a spectacular week. Source: AAP
FORMER coal mogul Nathan Tinkler made tens of thousands of dollars in secret donations so NSW politicians would "bend to his will", the state's corruption watchdog has heard.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has heard Mr Tinkler's development firm Buildev funnelled $66,000 in donations via his stud farm Patinack and then through EightByFive, a "sham" company set up by ex-Liberal minister Chris Hartcher's former staffer.
The unfolding cash-for-favours scandal has engulfed the NSW Liberal Party and there were claims on Monday that Buildev executive Darren Williams had arranged donations to the NSW Nationals before the 2011 election.
"As discussed we are delighted to accept support for our state election campaign as long as it is not from prohibited donors," then-Nationals NSW director Ben Franklin told Mr Williams in an email.
Mr Williams in turn wrote to Patinack director Troy Palmer: "Mate need $20(k) in here to help these guys, Nats will be running ports. Do you know any one that can help?????"
At the time, Buildev was lobbying for a $1 billion coal loader to be built on the Newcastle foreshore.
Under NSW electoral funding laws Mr Tinkler is barred from making political donations but counsel assisting, Geoffrey Watson SC, said ICAC investigators had uncovered evidence that four of his employees had each made $5000 payments to the National Party.
Days after the coalition swept to power in NSW in 2011, Tinkler Group CFO Troy Palmer passed on a "positive" news article about the lucrative coal loader to his boss - but Mr Tinkler was unimpressed.
The embattled businessman fired off this reply: "this is just to pacify me because I donated to the nats and they are doing f*** all about it. willy (Mr Williams) and govt trying to tell me it is moving forward but i dont see it and the whole thing is being held up in bureaucracy ... we had a bunch of deadbeats before and now we have a bunch of p****s scared to make a decision".
Mr Watson said it showed Mr Tinkler believed he could buy political support.
"That's what was operating down at the old Tinkler Group," Mr Watson put to Mr Palmer.
"Payments made to political parties to get the decision-makers to bend to Nathan Tinkler's will, isn't that right?"
"No, no," Mr Palmer replied.
Although the NSW coalition has featured prominently in ICAC's Operation Spicer, which led to last week's sensational resignation of police minister Mike Gallacher, it is alleged Mr Tinkler was not averse to crossing the floor.
He has been accused of working with former NSW Labor minister Joe Tripodi to depose former Newcastle member Jodi McKay after she refused to accept a bribe.
Mr Watson has indicated that on Wednesday morning he will ask that the inquiry be adjourned to allow further investigations.
The witness list has been shuffled to include Liberal fundraiser Nick Di Girolamo.
He was at the centre of the ICAC's last inquiry, Operation Credo, and his gift of a $3000 bottle of wine led to former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell's demise.
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