New South Wales Treasurer Daniel Mookhey appeared before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to address his actions while serving as an opposition MP. The inquiry is examining the circumstances surrounding allegations made against the state’s building commissioner, David Chandler.

According to Mookhey’s statement presented at the inquiry, he met with Sharangan Maheswaran, a lawyer representing fugitive property developer Jean Nassif. During this meeting, Maheswaran reportedly provided allegations concerning Chandler and requested that Mookhey raise these matters in parliament. Mookhey testified that he informed Maheswaran he would instead refer the allegations directly to ICAC. Mookhey noted in his statement that Maheswaran appeared “surprised” by this decision and offered multiple apologies during the interaction.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Peggy Dwyer, questioned the nature of the exchange. While Mookhey maintains he acted to ensure the allegations were handled by the appropriate oversight body, the inquiry is exploring the motivations behind the initial request to bring the matter into the parliamentary sphere. Maheswaran has reportedly rejected the characterization of the meeting as presented by counsel, though the inquiry continues to parse the conflicting accounts of the interaction between the politician and the developer's legal representative.