ICAC asks why John Sidoti’s mother’s name appears on email

The ICAC wants to know why ageing property developer Catherine Sidoti’s name appear on an email that could only have been sent from an upstairs computer in her son’s home.

The corruption watchdog wants to know why John Sidoti’s property developer mum — with her bad knees and clunky computer skills — signed off on an email that could only have come from the Liberal MP’s upstairs computer.

Meanwhile Sidoti clashed with the watchdog’s chief who asked if the politician could understand “plain English” or had acquired some type of injury or disease that ruined his memory.

Sidoti is back on the stand at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, where he has denied threatening Liberals in Canada Bay Council.

John Sidoti leaves the ICAC building in Sydney this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

It’s alleged he used his status in the party to push councillors to rezone properties owned by his family around Five Dock. He denies all wrongdoing.

The commission descended into heated questioning in the afternoon as Sidoti denied he was trying to corral the councillors into a “united stance” that would benefit his family.

“I’m speaking plain English - do you know what ‘united stance’ means?” the ICAC’s frustrated Commissioner Peter Hall QC asked Sidoti.

“No,” Sidoti responded.

“I know my interpretation... to find common ground.”

Mr Hall asked Sidoti if he “was prepared to do anything” to minimise his impact on council in the eyes of the ICAC.

“I’m here to tell the truth, Commissioner,” Sidoti responded.

Mr Hall remarked Sidoti seemed to have a lacklustre memory after Sidoti failed to recall details of meetings about property developments.

“Is there an explanation for that? Sometimes people contract an illness or a virus - heaven forbid,” Mr Hall asked.

“Yes,” Sidoti responded.

“Workload.”

Sidoti, earlier on Thursday, differentiated his interests as the local member from those of his parents — Catherine and Richard — who retired to become avid property developers in the area.

The ICAC has extensively questioned Sidoti and his wife, Sandra, about the technology skills and development desires of the family matriarch Catherine.

“Have you ever seen her use your computer?” Counsel Assisting Rob Ranken asked Sandra Sidoti in a closed-door interview in February.

“Never. She can’t get up the stairs. My computer is upstairs. She can’t climb my staircase,” Mrs Sidoti responded.

“So there’s absolutely no way she could ever send an email from that computer?” Mr Ranken asked again.

“Absolutely no way.”

John Sidoti, in his own evidence this week, said it was only he and his wife who used that email and only on that computer.

But a 2014 email chain about property planning submissions from that address is signed off “many thanks Catherine Sidoti”.

The email showed the Sidoti family were planning to make submissions to Canada Bay Council about the future of Five Dock.

Sidoti said it was “possible” he sent the email and just signed off his mother’s name.

He also disagreed with his wife’s testimony about whether his parents had been upstairs.

“I know my mother has been upstairs, as has my father,” Sidoti said.

“She has difficulties, yes, it’s not regular.”

The MP said if his mother had used the upstairs computer to email she would likely have required the help of his teenage sons.

Sidoti, this week, said his parents would send him important documents to sign, which he did without reading.

He claims the full extent of his involvement in their family trusts and super funds only became clear to him when NSW Labor pointed it out in parliament.

The commission continues.