The Sydney businessmen embroiled in an inquiry into an allegedly corrupt coal deal have been scripting answers to questions about their links to the family of former NSW Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid for almost two years, documents tendered at the inquiry reveal.

Richard Poole , a director and shareholder of Cascade Coal and the founder of boutique investment bank Arthur Phillip, was sent a document on January 31 last year setting out proposed answers to media inquiries about the company’s dealings.