The then-treasurer Dominic Perrottet backed the Reformers-linked company Beckington when he was asked for advice on Catholic Schools NSW signing a contract with the fledgling government relations firm.

Catholic Schools NSW boss Dallas McInerney told the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday that he had sought Perrottet’s views before signing a contract with Beckington as the firm’s first client.

Liberal powerbroker and Reformers member Christian Ellis, who worked for Perrottet in his electorate office between 2012 and 2015, set up Beckington with another party operative, Jeremy Greenwood.

The commission is investigating whether Beckington issued sham invoices to Catholic Schools NSW, which were approved by McInerney, to disguise political donations, among other allegations.

McInerney also told the commission that he never asked federal Liberal Leader Angus Taylor to fund the Reformers, after earlier claims emerged that Taylor had agreed to bankroll the conservative religious faction.

The commission heard sensational evidence that in 2021 Taylor committed to a $15,000 “injection” to the Reformers with regular $3000 donations. Taylor has repeatedly denied any payments to the Reformers.

McInerney told the commission that Reformers member Dylan Whitelaw may have lied when he told factional allies in a text message about the alleged money from Taylor.

Ellis established Beckington after he was sacked in October 2019 from the office of Damien Tudehope, who was then a senior Liberal minister. His employment was terminated because Tudehope was concerned he was carrying out factional work during work hours.

Ellis first approached McInerney to pitch his services in April 2019, before Beckington was registered in July. McInerney said he knew this because he had received a draft introductory letter at that time.

McInerney told the commission that he asked Perrottet for advice while he was considering a contract with Beckington to ensure Ellis and Greenwood had the respect and “entrée” into the then Coalition government.

“I thought it was important to check in with a senior member of the government whether or not there was any reasons why this consultancy shouldn’t be taken on,” McInerney told the commission.

Perrottet was “favourable”, McInerney said. He did not discuss the work of the Reformers during this conversation, he said.

“He knew both of the individuals concerned. He was aware that they were setting up their own shop, if you like, and there was no advice to give concern or pause,” McInerney said.

Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin asked McInerney why he had not also sought the views of Tudehope, given Ellis had recently worked in his office. He said Perrottet was the treasurer at the time and a more senior member of the government.

Earlier in his evidence, McInerney described the Reformers as “spectacularly unsuccessful” in their mission to push conservative values within the Liberal Party.

The schools’ body chief, who has stood aside from his role pending this inquiry, told the commission he was “mostly” supportive of the work of the Reformers, but their model was not right.

Curtin asked McInerney whether fellow Liberals Ellis, Robert Assaf and Jean-Claude Perrottet were fervent or passionate Reformers.

He instead described their factional work as “a calling for them, a duty”.

McInerney was also asked whether he had harboured political ambitions to run for parliament.

He said he was interested in public office at different stages and had believed there was a deal in place with the late senator Jim Molan, which would have seen McInerney replace him. However, Molan ultimately did not retire.

Curtin put to McInerney: “You backed Mr Molan on the mutual expectation that he would retire partway through the Senate term and help facilitate you taking over a Senate seat, is that correct?”

“That’s what Molan put to me,” McInerney said. Asked whether he was disappointed Molan did not retire and make way for him, McInerney said he was not sure how he felt at the time.

In a message shown to the ICAC, it was revealed that McInerney told Greenwood: “I know I’ve been f---ed. I could have won the preselection there. [Matt] Camenzuli and [Lou] Amato ... and Connie [Concetta Fierravanti-Wells] have been doing anyone but Dallas campaign for months.”

“Yeah, it’s f---ed. It’s f---ed. It’s f---ed,” McInerney’s message to Greenwood said.

Meanwhile, NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane has replaced opposition planning spokesman Chris Rath as her representative on the party’s powerful state executive after it emerged the senior frontbencher helped fellow party members avoid providing evidence to a key parliamentary inquiry.

On Wednesday, the ICAC heard Rath was integral in helping Greenwood, as well as Jean-Claude Perrottet and his brother Charles, avoid attending the 2023 inquiry by keeping them abreast of the committee’s deliberations. Rath was a member of the committee.

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That parliamentary inquiry into illegal donations and the Hills Shire Council was one of the catalysts for this ICAC inquiry, which is also investigating Nassif’s links to Liberal operatives and payments from Catholic Schools NSW to the Reformers.

Sloane has declined to take any further action against Rath, who also took a photograph of a committee document and forwarded it to key witnesses involved in the parliamentary inquiry.

He remains on her frontbench. Tudehope stood aside from her shadow cabinet because of his links to several persons of interest to the ICAC.

The inquiry continues.

Further reading

Here are some of the highlights of our ICAC coverage.

Continue this investigation

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• Updated

Jeremy Greenwood said repeatedly that he could not remember what work his consultancy firm Beckington did for Catholic Schools NSW.