Former Catholic Schools NSW boss Dallas McInerney faced the Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry for a third day of evidence on Wednesday.
During a prolonged grilling by counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer, Mr McInerney admitted he played a factional role and had political ambitions of his own, but denied using his organisation's money to fund them.
Mr McInerney was a member and later chair of right-wing Liberal Party faction group Right Executive Leadership Movement, or RELM.
He also had his eyes on winning a seat in the NSW upper house, he told the commission.
ICAC is investigating, among other things, whether Mr McInerney funnelled more than $100,000 from his organisation to conservative faction group, the Reformers, through sham consulting arrangements.
Mr McInerney was pressed on why he contracted Reformers co-founder Christian Ellis's then-fledging advisory firm Beckington, despite the company having had no previous clients.
Dr Dwyer said it was a significant issue for the commission whether or not Beckington did any substantial work for Catholic Schools NSW, noting there was a severe lack of physical evidence demonstrating any work being done.
Several message exchanges between Mr McInerney and Mr Ellis made for awkward moments as they were read out to the commission.
"Good to chat today. Tonnes of respect for you," Mr McInerney said in one.
Mr Ellis replied: "You too mate, I'm genuinely frustrated at the lack of respect people are giving you."
"Disagree, sure, that's how we come to the best decision, but these short wogs around the place throwing bombs because they don't value intelligence and integrity is a disgrace."
Dr Dwyer pressed Mr McInerney on whether the language was a racial slur, to which he ultimately agreed it could be.
The pair also mocked federal Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh over an Easter message she sent to the community in 2020.
Ms McIntosh referenced those battling COVID-19 and frontline health workers, as well as others in the community facing difficulty such as those experiencing homelessness, financial hardship or domestic violence.
Mr McInerney said Ms McIntosh had the "penmanship of a junior high schooler" and was "dumb as dogshit".
Dr Dwyer questioned whether Ms McIntosh was a political rival of Mr McInerney, with her being from the centre-right faction.
"No, totally the opposite, I was a massive supporter of Ms McIntosh," he claimed.
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