Former NSW Liberal minister David Elliott has said he will take legal action against those he believes have said "slanderous things" about him, following a corruption watchdog hearing.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is examining whether donations linked to fugitive property developer Jean Nassif were exchanged for political favours, including attempts to damage Mr Elliott's career.
On Friday, the former police minister gave evidence to ICAC.
After taking the stand, Mr Elliott told reporters outside that he would be talking to his lawyer about taking legal action against those he believed "need to be pursued", but stopped short of naming anyone specifically.
He said the "battle" of fighting corruption in the parliament was not over, and claimed there were still people in the Liberal shadow ministry "who gave evidence to criminals".
The ICAC previously heard allegations that senior Liberal MPs Chris Rath and Damien Tudehope remained in contact with people trying to avoid giving evidence to a 2023 parliamentary inquiry.
Mr Rath allegedly helped lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood stay informed about efforts to serve him with a summons, while Mr Tudehope was accused of passing a confidential committee report to Mr Greenwood.
Mr Tudehope has not been accused of wrongdoing, while Mr Greenwood and other persons of interest in the inquiry have not been charged with any crimes.
Mr Elliott told the inquiry he now believed Mr Nassif influenced the decision to remove him as police minister in a 2021 cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Elliott linked the move to Mr Nassif's 2019 arrest for cocaine possession at The Star casino, saying the developer may have blamed him for police being at the casino.
"I think Nassif had probably made it clear to the hard-right that because he'd got arrested for cocaine, that I wasn't to be trusted with the police force," Mr Elliott said.
The inquiry previously heard NSW Liberal Party operatives allegedly compiled a "David Elliott shit sheet" — a dossier of political and personal allegations aimed at damaging his career.
Mr Elliott told ICAC he believed Mr Nassif was behind a campaign of negative media stories against him, after he responded to community concerns about one of his developments.
Mr Elliott said Mr Nassif later confronted him twice and left a message on his phone threatening to "get" him.
He also told the inquiry private investigators followed him and his wife, describing surveillance images of his wife as "very creepy".
Mr Elliott said Mr Nassif allegedly pressured his former chief of staff to provide information about him and warned that his political career could be over.
Mr Elliott ultimately decided not to seek Liberal preselection for Castle Hill because he said branch-stacking had made it clear the seat would go to a candidate from the party's "religious right".
Asked about his characterisation of the factions within the NSW Liberal Party, Mr Elliott said: "Depending on who you're talking to, some call it the hard right, some call it the right, some call it the religious right, some call it the cult."
