John Sidoti tells ICAC Canada Bay Council was misleading the community

Canada Bay Council had “misled” the community, NSW Liberal MP John Sidoti said, but he insists he never threatened councillors who didn‘t vote how he wanted.

Liberal MP John Sidoti told the corruption watchdog he “never threatened anybody” when he told councillors frustrated local shopkeepers were lining up to take their jobs.

The politician’s firmest denial so far came in heated questioning after he said “everyone in the room” knew Canada Bay Council “misled” the community.

Sidoti is accused of pressuring Canada Bay’s Liberal councillors to rezone around his family‘s property interests in Five Dock.

The high-ranking Liberal told the Independent Commission Against Corruption that council staff put on a “misleading” presentation about how the suburb’s rezoning would be handled in 2014.

NSW MP John Sidoti says Canada Bay council was misleading people. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

He was unable to identify who had made the false claims or exactly what they were but said the presentation “was a pup” that incorrectly implied how planning goals would be reached.

Sidoti sent a follow up email expressing his dissatisfaction after the council presentation that discussed building heights and floor space ratios in a way he said “everyone in the room knew was false”.

“I don‘t want people to interpret (my email) as a slur on the staff, that’s not my style,” he said.

Sidoti, the ICAC has heard, was frequently contacting Liberal councillors about his parents’ property and the plans for Five Dock in 2014. One councillor described his contact as a “barrage”.

In May 2014 the MP emailed Liberal councillors asking them to “please deliver the vision of the shopkeepers in the interests of the community not the mayor’s distorted views.”

It is alleged that NSW MP John Sidoti regularly contacted councillors over his parents’ property. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

He wrote that shopkeepers were “lining up” to run for council and closed his email saying “good luck with your deliberations”.

Commissioner Peter Hall QC suggested to Sidoti, on Wednesday, that if his email was not a threat it was surely a persuasive statement to get the Liberals to “fall into line” on his planning wishlist.

“I’ve never threatened anybody,” he responded.

Counsel Assisting the Commission Rob Ranken asked Sidoti “do you ever write what you mean” as the politician explained he was expressing his frustration and concern about the “constituents” he shared with the councillors.

“No councillors ever said you crossed a line,” he said.

“The first I heard about that was at this commission.”

Sidoti said he had nothing but “concern for my Liberal colleagues” in his contact with them.

The MP and former Sports Minister previously told the ICAC he didn‘t know what he was signing whenever his property developer parents sent a form via the family accountant.

Sidoti said he didn’t understand how the family’s super fund or trust was set up or how he was listed as a beneficiary until former Labor leader Luke Foley exposed his interests in Parliament.