8.01amHow key ICAC witness Dallas McInerney turned from helpful to hot under the collarBy Kate McClymontDespite 13 being considered an unlucky number, the 13th day of Sydney’s bombshell corruption inquiry opened with the promise that the tide of deflections and dismal recollections from previous witnesses was finally going to change.Was there going to be a rollover witness at last?Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney is chaperoned from the ICAC after giving evidence on Thursday.Sam MooySitting in the witness box, with a sheen of feverish sweat across his brow, was Dallas James McInerney, who recently stepped aside as the chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW.“I understand that you are eager to assist the commission in the conduct of this inquiry?” counsel assisting Juliet Curtin asked the 53-year-old.7.59amNext week’s witness list revealedBy Jessica McSweeneyThe ICAC has just released the witness list for next week, which includes one of Jean Nassif’s political enemies and a currently sitting MP. There won’t be a hearing on Monday or Tuesday, but when we return on Wednesday former Baulkham Hills MP David Elliott is expected to give evidence. Elliott is not a person of interest in this inquiry, rather the ICAC is investigating if Nassif made donations to Liberal Party figures Jeremy Greenwood, Christian Ellis and Charles Perrottet in exchange for pursuing his interests, including damaging Elliott’s political career. David Elliott will give evidence on Wednesday.Jessica HromasOn Thursday, we’ll hear from Cassandra Lawry, who was chief of staff to MP Eleni Petinos when she was minister for small business and fair trading in the last Coalition government. Petinos herself will give evidence on Friday, the second currently sitting MP to do so after Damien Tudehope appeared last week, admitting he leaked a confidential committee report to Greenwood. 7.42amWelcome to today’s live coverageBy Jessica McSweeneyGood morning and welcome to another Operation Rosny public hearing. I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and along with the Herald’s senior writers, we’ll be bringing you all the latest news and analysis from inside the hearing as it happens. Today Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney returns to the witness boss to continue questioning around lucrative contracts he awarded to government relations firms linked to the Reformers, the Liberal Party conservative factional group. First lets take a look at what we covered yesterday:Dallas McInerney rejected suggestions the contract between Catholic Schools NSW and Beckington, a company linked to Liberal Party factional group the Reformers, was illegitimate and insists he was seeking genuine government relations services. The ICAC is investigating allegations the contract was actually a way to disguise political donations to support the factional work of the Reformers.McInerney said he sought the advice of then-NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet when he was considering entering into a contract with Beckington. He claimed Perrottet was favourable about the company founders Christian Ellis, a long-time Liberal Party staffer, and lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood.After being shown evidence that McInerney and Catholic Schools NSW staffer James Tudehope helped correct errors in draft proposals from Beckington and suggested things they should add into their proposals, McInerney rejected suggestions this showed him creating a “veneer of legitimacy”. He said he was simply doing due diligence and making sure Beckington’s services aligned with the needs of Catholic Schools NSW.After evidence before the ICAC earlier in the week that NSW Liberal MP Chris Rath helped the Reformers avoid a 2023 parliamentary inquiry by keeping them abreast of the committee’s deliberations, Rath has now been stood down as NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane’s representative on the party’s state executive. He remains on the frontbench.McInerney denied he asked now-federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor for money to support the Reformers. When shown texts from Reformer Dylan Whitelaw that claimed McInerney secured ongoing donations from Taylor, McInerney suggested Whitelaw may have lied or boasted.Taylor’s press secretary Kane Silom rebuked 10 News political editor Ashleigh Raper after she asked Taylor questions about the ICAC evidence this morning. “Are your ratings that bad,” he shot at Raper, calling her questions a “disgrace”. “What? Asking questions about an ICAC inquiry?” Raper retorted.You can follow the hearing live stream here.1 of 1