Federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has been embroiled in a corruption inquiry probing illegal donations after claims emerged that he agreed to bankroll a conservative religious faction within the NSW Liberals.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption heard sensational evidence on Tuesday that in 2021 Taylor committed to a $15,000 “injection” to the NSW Reformers with regular $3000 donations.

Asked on Tuesday whether he made the donations, Taylor’s spokesman said fundraising and donations were an issue for the party’s head office. The NSW Liberals have been contacted for comment.

The revelations emerged after a key backer of the NSW Reformers, hotelier Michael O’Hara, told the commission on Tuesday he had withdrawn his financial support for the reformers group because then premier Dominic Perrottet “had rolled on so many issues” and had “gone woke”.

A one-time NSW Reformers member and former Catholic Schools NSW staffer, Dylan Whitelaw, also appeared before the commission on Tuesday, where he was asked about Taylor’s donations, as well as factional work being done “on the Catholic school dime”.

Whitelaw was shown a text message that he sent to a group chat in 2021. In that NSW Reformers chat, he told members that Catholic Schools NSW boss and right-wing powerbroker Dallas McInerney had received a commitment “from Angus” for a “15k injection, plus a 3k monthly donation”.

Whitelaw said he assumed “Angus” referred to Hume MP and now federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.

In another message in the group chat, which included fellow NSW Reformers Robert Assaf, Christian Ellis and Jean-Claude Perrottet, Whitelaw wrote “cheering” in relation to the Taylor donations.

Ellis also responded: “Amazing”.

Counsel assisting Juliet Curtin said to Whitelaw: “To be clear, the $15k injection plus the $3k monthly donation that you’ve been told about by Mr McInerney, at least on this evidence, is for the work that the Reformers were doing?”

Whitelaw responded: “I will draw that conclusion from the fact it’s in a Reformers group chat, but I don’t have a recollection around it.”

He said he did not recall sending the message about Taylor’s donations and did not recall Taylor making the donation.

“Potentially, Dallas had told me something that was incorrect, I’d be very surprised if Mr Taylor made any financial contribution,” Whitelaw said.

A spokesman for Taylor said: “The leader is not a party to the matters before the commission, nor has he been approached.

“These matters should be allowed to run their course free from political interference or commentary. As such the leader will not be providing a running commentary on any matters before the commission.

“Donations and fundraising activities are declared in accordance with the rules and are a matter for the party.”

Whitelaw was also asked about a screenshot sent by Assaf to a group chat including Perrottet and Ellis.

In the screenshot message, McInerney said: “I have breakfast club with ministers this Thursday morning. Who can I get an update from? Re SCD progress in last six to 12 months. I want to shake down Angus for 10k.”

Whitelaw told the commission that “SCD” referred to state council delegates. McInerney wanted an update on how many NSW Reformers were progressing to Liberal Party state council delegates.

“It appears, does it not, that Mr McInerney wanted an update on the Reformers’ progress, so he could seek a financial contribution from Angus Taylor to continue the Reformers’ work?” Curtin asked.

Whitelaw responded: “I wouldn’t want to speculate, but it appears that way on face value.”

He also told the commission that he and Assaf both completed NSW Reformers activities during their working hours while employed at Catholic Schools NSW.

Catholic Schools NSW is the governing body for 600 diocesan schools across the state.

“You said that it was a running joke between you and Mr Assaf that he was spending a significant proportion of his time doing Reformers work on the Catholic school’s dime,” Curtin said.

Whitelaw agreed. He also told the commission his guess was Assaf’s work was “60 per cent to the Reformers, 40 per cent to Catholic Schools”.

Assaf will appear as a witness later in the week. McInerney is also a person of interest to ICAC, which will probe whether he “arranged and approved” undeclared political donations from Catholic Schools NSW to the Liberal Party.

Earlier, O’Hara said he believed he was donating to a group that would return conservative values to the Liberal Party, but was “disgusted” when he discovered the true operations of the NSW Reformers.

“I am absolutely astounded by where it all ended up, which I had absolutely no knowledge of. I’m disgusted,” O’Hara told the commission.

In one email sent to the then premier’s brother Jean-Claude Perrottet, O’Hara was critical of the Liberal leader’s stance on climate change, flying the Aboriginal flag on the Harbour Bride and supporting the Voice referendum.

O’Hara was responding to an email in which Jean-Claude was invoicing the hotelier for payments that would be funnelled to the NSW Reformers.

In another email shown to the commission, O’Hara said he “cannot support Dominic”.

“I believed he was a person of principle and backed him to the hilt, but he has gone woke,” the email said.

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