Cash gave the game away, ICAC told

A black duffel bag filled with $30,000 and the wrong coloured pen were all central to the ‘cash for visa’ scheme linked to disgraced MP Daryl Maguire.

Disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire is under investigation over allegations he misused his parliamentary position between 2012 and 2018 in pursuit of his financial gain, including a cash for visa scheme.

A black duffel bag filled with $30,000, the wrong coloured pen and a job advertisement for a Wagga Wagga-based accountant who could speak French fluently were all central to the “cash for visa” scheme linked to disgraced NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire, a corruption inquiry has heard.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating Mr Maguire, who resigned after the allegations surfaced ahead of the 2018 state election, over claims he misused his parliamentary position to pursue his own financial interests, including through the visa scheme.

The former Wagga Wagga MP persuaded business associates to sponsor Chinese nationals looking for visas, many of whom did not turn up for work, the inquiry has heard.

Creative Business Furniture owner Peter Wood told the ICAC he believed the scheme was legal until he was handed a “fee” for taking on an employee — a bag filled with $50 and $100 notes totalling $30,000.

“It was paid in cash, to my astonishment, because I was travelling back to Wagga with $30,000 in the pocket and it’s uneasy,” Mr Wood told the hearing on Friday. “I didn’t quite understand it, but I accepted it.”

One day earlier, the inquiry had heard other Wagga businessmen — Shaun Duffy and Angus McLaren — had also participated in the scheme, with both admitting to receiving tens of thousands in cash payments in exchange for signing falsified immigration documents.

Mr Duffy said he began to have concerns about the scheme’s legitimacy after Maggie Wang, an employee of a company linked with Mr Maguire, arrived at a meeting wearing a “big jacket” stuffed with cash.

On Friday, Mr Wood — after being presented with several immigration documents he appeared to have signed — said he did not remember them until he realised there were inconsistencies with his supposed signature.

“I hardly ever use a blue pen,” Mr Wood said. “All my pens are black … it’s my favourite colour to write with.

“My signature changes all the time. As I say, first thing in the morning it’s fabulous and by the time we get to the afternoon it deteriorates.”

One of the documents allegedly forged by Ms Wang was a job ad that required someone fluent in English and French, “both written and verbal”.

“At this point in time, did your business have a requirement for someone who speaks fluent French, both verbal and written? Many French speakers in Wagga Wagga?” counsel assisting the inquiry, Scott Robertson, asked. “There’s a French teacher at my wife’s school,” Mr Wood replied.

The hearing continues next week.