Uy, via a Cantonese interpreter, said he did not. “I deny it. Of course not, why would I need to give it [to] him?”

He also denied paying Hindi regarding the same development, saying that “never happened”.

Badalati also gave evidence that, in 2016, Uy went to a park in Rhodes with Badalati and Hindi before handing them bags filled with $100,000 each. Badalati said Uy told them: “Thank you for your assistance on Landmark.”

Uy denied this. “I have not paid anything. I’m telling you, I did not pay any money.”

Loading

On Wednesday, the inquiry was shown a photograph, extracted from Uy’s phone, showing wads of cash – mostly $50 notes – sitting on an ironing board in July 2018. Uy said he took the photograph at his Rhodes apartment.

The inquiry heard that similar photos from Uy’s phone, showing bundles of $50 and $100 notes, from 2015, had been tendered to the commission.

Uy said the 2018 photo showed possibly about $300,000, which had been drawn from his personal bank accounts.

“When I sometimes travelled back to Hong Kong, back to China, I would withdraw cash and bring it back there,” Uy explained.

Loading

The inquiry heard Uy had texted the photograph of the bundled cash to an unknown person on July 25 – two days after Georges River Council considered a proposal to rezone the Landmark Square site at a meeting on July 23.

Badalati and Hindi, a Liberal councillor, had voted in favour of the proposal at the meeting.

Uy said he couldn’t remember why he texted the photo of the cash to the unknown person, who had replied, “To be given to me?”

Uy texted back, “Fat and Middle East”, which the inquiry heard was a reference to Badalati and Hindi.

Loading

In a further text, Uy wrote, “Middle East suddenly two weeks ago requested because the last [council] meeting all things have been completed. However, the female [councillor] arranged a group of people to turn it over big fighting last week Middle East [and] Fat fought for their life. Yesterday’s newspaper had a large paragraph.”

Uy said he couldn’t remember whether he was referring to the July 23 council meeting in the message.

Uy also denied he had given Hindi $10,000 to favour the interests of Uy and Wensheng Liu relating to the potential purchase of a council-owned car park on Gloucester Road in Hurstville in 2011 and 2012.

This allegation had emerged in the evidence of former Hurstville councillor Clifton Wong, who was found dead last Wednesday, days after he appeared at the inquiry. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

The inquiry continues.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.